* 


1757-1760 


RUFUS  PUTNAM — Harper's  Magazine. 

Copyrighted  188& 


JOURNAL 


OP 


GEN.  RUFUS  PUTNAM 

i  \ 

KEPT  IN    NORTHERN  NEW  YORK    DURING    FOUR    CAMPAIGNS  OF 
THE  OLD  FRENCH   AND  INDIAN  WAR 

1757-1760 

THE  WHOLE  COPIOUSLY  ILLUSTRATED  WITH   NOTES  AND 

PRECEDED    BY  A  BIOGRAPHICAL    SKETCH  OF 

GEN.  PUTNAM 

BY 

E.  C.  DAWES. 


ALBANY,  N.   Y. 

JOEL  MUNSELL'S  SONS,   82  STATE  ST. 
1886. 


Edition   100  copies 
No.- 


CONTENTS. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  RUFUS  PUTNAM,  -   9 

JOURNAL  OF  RUFUS  PUTNAM  FOR  THE  YEAR  1757,  -  23 

SHORT  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  ISRAEL  PUTNAM,  -    -  29 

S  HORT  BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  OF  ROBERT  ROGERS,  46 

JOURNAL  OF  RUFUS  PUTNAM  FOR  THE  YEAR  1758,  -    -  61 

JOURNAL  OF  RUFUS  PUTNAM  FOR  THE  YEAR  1759,  -  81 

JOURNAL  OF  RUFUS  PUTNAM  FOR  THE  YEAR  1760,  -    -  97 


M201518 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 


OF 


RTJFUS   PUTNAM. 


IUFUS  Putnam  was  born  in  Sutton,  Massachu 
setts,  April  9,  1738.  His  father  died  in 
1745  and  he  was  sent  to  live  with  Mr.  Jonathan 
Fuller,  his  maternal  grandfather,  at  Danvers  where 
he  was  taught  to  read.  His  mother  married  Captain 
Sadler  of  Upton  in  1747  and  young  Rufus  returned 
to  her.  Captain  Sadler  was  uneducated  himself  and 
denied  the  boy  all  opportunities  for  instruction.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen  he  was  apprenticed  to  Daniel 
Matthews,  of  Brookfield,  a  millwright.  While  with 
him  he  managed  to  obtain  a  fair  knowledge  of 
arithmetic,  geometry  and  history.  In  March,  1757, 
he  enlisted  as  a  private  soldier  in  a  company  raised 
by  Captain  Ebenezer  Learned  for  service  against 
the  French  and  Indians.  He  again  enlisted  in  each 


10  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

succeeding  year  until  1761,  serving  in  1759  as 
orderly  sergeant  and  in  1760  as  ensign.  The  story 
of  these  campaigns  is  told  in  the  journal  following 
this  sketch.  In  April,  1761,  he  married  Miss 
Elizabeth  Ayres  of  Brookfield,  and  settled  on  a  small 
farm  of  fifty  acres  in  New  Brain  tree,  which  he  had 
purchased  with  money  saved  from  his  pay  and 
bounty.  His  wife  died  in  childbirth  in  November 
of  that  year.  In  1765  he  married  Miss  Persis  Kice 
of  Westborough  and  moved  to  a  small  farm  in  the 
north  parish  of  Brookfield.  His  family  remained 
here  until  1780  when  he  moved  them  to  the  town  of 
Rutland,  where  he  had  purchased  a  large  confiscated 
estate. 

At  the  close  of  his  service  in  the  French  war,  he 
devoted  his  spare  time  for  several  years  to  the  study 
of  surveying,  in  which  he  became  so  proficient  that  he 
soon  found  constant  employment.  In  1773  he  went 
with  Colonel  Israel  Putnam,  Captain  Roger  Enos  and 
Mr.  Thaddeus  Lyman  to  examine  lands  in  Florida 
which  the  king,  through  the  efforts  of  General  Phineas 
Lyman,  had  promised  to  grant  to  the  colonial  officers 
and  soldiers  who  had  served  in  the  Provincial  regi- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  H 

ments  in  the  French  war.  To  facilitate  his  work  Mr, 
Putnam  was  appointed  deputy  surveyor  of  that  prov 
ince  by  the  governor  of  Florida.  The  party  sailed 
up  the  Mississippi  river  to  the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo, 
up  the  Yazoo  to  Haines  bluff  and  explored  the  land 
back  to  Big  Black  river,  down  that  stream  to  its 
mouth  and  along  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi 
below.  So  favorable  was  their  report,  upon  their 
return  in  the  fall,  that  several  hundred  families  from 
New  England  emigrated  early  in  1774  to  settle  on 
the  lands.  Many  others  were  deterred,  probably  the 
Putnams  among  them,  by  the  critical  state  of  public 
affairs  and  a  rumor  that  the  king  had  refused  to  issue 
a  patent1  for  the  lands. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  revolution  in  1775,  Mr. 
Putnam  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Massachusetts  regiment  commanded  by  Colonel  David 
Brewer.  He  planned  and  superintended  the  con 
struction  of  the  line  of  defence  of  the  continental  army 
at  Eoxbury.  General  Washington  was  so  pleased 


1  A  patent  for  twenty  thousand  acres  in  what  is  now 
Claiborne  county,  Mississippi,  was  issued  to  Thaddeus  Lyman, 
Feb.  2,  1775. 


12  P  UTNAM  '£  JO  URNAL. 

with  these  works  that  he  detailed  him  as  acting  chief 
engineer  of  the  army. 

On  the  llth  of  August,  1776,  he  was  appointed  by 
Congress,  chief  engineer  of  the  army  with  the  rank 
of  colonel.  Preferring  field  service  with  troops  he  re 
signed  in  December  to  accept  the  command  of  the 
fifth  Massachusetts  regiment.  With  it  he  greatly 
distinguished  himself  in  the  campaign  against  Bur- 
goyne  as  well  as  in  the  subsequent  operations  of  the 
army.  In  January,  1783,  he  was  appointed  brigadier 
general.  Throughout  the  war  he  possessed  to  a 
marked  degree  the  confidence  of  General  Washington. 

Early  in  1783,  General  Putnam  became  much  in 
terested  in  a  plan,  proposed  by  Colonel  Timothy 
Pickering,  for  establishing  a  settlement  and  creating 
a  new  State  west  of  the  Ohio  river.  In  June  of  that 
year  he  forwarded  to  the  president  of  Congress, 
through  General  Washington  who  strongly  recom 
mended  it,  a  petition  signed  by  288  officers  of  the 
Continental  line  asking  that  their  bounty  lands  be 
located  in  that  part  of  what  is  now  the  state  of  Ohio, 
east  of  the  Scioto  river  and  that  an  additional  amount 
be  sold  to  them  for  public  securities.  Congress  took 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  ^3 

no  action  on  this  petition.  Virginia  claimed  the 
entire  territory  north-west  of  the  Ohio  river  by  right 
of  the  conquest  of  George  Rogers  Clark.  Her  claim 
had  been  ceded  to  the  United  States  upon  condition 
that  the  territory  be  divided  into  ten  states,  that  the 
expense  of  its  conquest  be  repaid,  and  that  a  tract  of 
land  be  set  apart  for  bounties  to  her  officers  and  sol 
diers.  These  terms  were  opposed  by  Maryland  and 
New  Jersey  who  flatly  disputed  Virginia's  claim.  The 
cession  was  finally  accepted  by  Congress,  substantially 
upon  the  original  conditions,  in  March,  1784.  An 
ordinance  for  the  government  of  the  territory,  drawn 
by  Thomas  Jefferson,  was  adopted  a  month  later.  An 
ordinance  providing  a  method  for  survey  and  sale  of 
the  lands,  after  much  discussion,  was  passed  in  May, 
1785.  Indian  troubles  on  the  frontier  prevented  the 
surveyors  from  commencing  their  work  until  the 
spring  of  1786, 

During  these  years  General  Putnam  had  resumed 
his  occupation  as  a  civil  engineer.  He  was  chosen  by 
Congress  one  of  the  surveyors  of  territory  under  the 
ordinance  of  1785,  but  owing  to  a  previous  engage 
ment  with  the  State  of  Massachusetts  was  unable  to 


14  PUTNAM  'S  JO  TTRNAL. 

accept  at  once  and  secured  the  temporary  appoint 
ment  of  General  Benjamin  Tupper  in  his  place.  In 
the  fall  of  1785  General  Tupper  visited  Pittsburgh. 
The  glowing  accounts  he  received  while  there,  from 
all  sources,  of  the  fertility  of  the  lands  along  the  Ohio, 
determined  him  to  move  to  the  Western  territory  as 
soon  as  possible.  He  returned  to  Massachusetts  about 
the  first  of  January,  1786. 

On  the  10th  of  January,  Generals  Putnam  and 
Tupper  after  a  full  conference,  united  in  a  call  for  a 
meeting  of  all  who  wished  to  become  adventurers  in 
the  Ohio  country  to  be  held  in  Boston,  March  first, 
1786.  The  result  of  this  meeting  was  the  formation 
of  the  Ohio  company  with  a  capital  of  one  million  of 
dollars  in  public  securities,  divided  into  one  thousand 
shares  of  one  thousand  dollars  each,  to  be  expended 
in  the  purchase  of  lands  in  the  North-western  territory. 
The  plan  of  sale  adopted  by  Congress  was  so  unsatis 
factory,  that  after  a  lapse  of  a  year  but  one-fourth  of 
the  shares  had  been  subscribed.  In  March,  1787, 
General  Putnam,  General  S.  H.  Parsons  and  Reverend 
Manasseh  Cutler,  were  chosen  directors  and  em 
powered  to  treat  with  Congress  for  the  purchase  of  a 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  ^5 

tract  of  land  on  a  different  basis.  Doctor  Cutler 
visited  Congress,  then  in  session  in  New  York,  in 
July,  1787,  and  succeeded  in  making  a  contract  for 
the  purchase  of  one  and  a  half  million  acres  of  land 
in  a  compact  body,  including  a  large  part  of  the  val- 
lies  of  the  Muskingum  and  Big  Hockhocking  rivers, 
on  terms  far  more  favorable  than  provided  in  the 
ordinances  of  1785.  A  new  ordinance  for  the  govern 
ment  of  the  territory,  famous  in  history  as  the  ordi 
nance  of  1787,  was  passed  at  the  same  time.  Some 
of  its  provisions  were  framed  by  Doctor  Cutler  to 
accord  with  the  wishes  and  interests  of  the  Ohio  com 
pany.  The  remaining  shares  in  the  company  were 
quickly  taken.  In  November,  1787,  General  Put 
nam,  who  was  then  serving  as  a  member  of  the  Massa 
chusetts  General  Court  from  the  town  of  Rutland, 
was  made  superintendent  of  the  company.  He  con 
ducted  the  first  party  of  emigrants  and  on  the 
7th  of  April,  1788,  landed  with  them  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Muskinguin  river,  where  now  is  the  city 
of  Marietta  and  commenced  the  first  organized  settle 
ment  of  the  North-western  territory.  General  Put 
nam  continued  to  be  the  most  active  and  influential 


IQ  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

member  of  the  Ohio  company  until  the  final  settle 
ment  of  its  affairs  in  1796. 

In  March,  1790,  he  was  appointed  by  President 
Washington  one  of  the  judges  of  the  United  States 
Court  in  the  North-western  territory.  He  removed 
his  family,  his  wife  eight  children  and  two  grand 
children,  to  Marietta  this  year.  He  was  also  made 
superintendent  of  the  affairs  in  the  west  of  the  Scioto 
company,  but  resigned  before  the  close  of  the  year. 
In  1792,  while  attending  a  meeting  of  the  Ohio  com 
pany  in  Philadelphia,  he  was  commissioned  brigadier 
general  in  the  army  to  rank  from  the  date  of  his  ori 
ginal  appointment  in  1783.  The  directors  of  the 
Ohio  company,  seconded  by  Vice-president  John 
Adams,  endeavored  to  secure  his  assignment  to  com 
mand  the  forces  operating  against  the  Indians  vice 
St.  Glair.  The  choice  for  a  time  seemed  to  be  be 
tween  Generals  Putnam  and  Lincoln.  The  object 
ion  to  Putnam  was  the  fact  that  his  rank  during  the 
revolutionary  war  was  not  as  high  as  that  of 
others  whose  friends  were  supporting  them  for  this 
command.  General  Anthony  Wayne  was  finally 
chosen. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  *    17 

In  the  fall  of  1792,  General  Putnam  concluded  a 
treaty  at  Vincennes  with  eight  of  the  Wabash  Indian 
tribes.  In  February,  1793,  he  resigned  his  commis 
sion  in  the  army.  In  January,  1791,  the  Indians 
surprised  the  station  of  the  Ohio  company  at  Big 
Bottom  killing  or  capturing  its  inmates.  The  settle 
ments  of  the  company  were  almost  entirely  without 
aid  from  the  government.  General  Putnam  organized 
the  inhabitants  for  their  own  protection.  The  entire 
force  that  could  be  mustered  was  but  two  hundred 
and  fifty  men,  divided  between  the  stations  at 
Marietta,  Belpre  and  Waterford.  Many  war  parties 
were  sent  to  attack  these  posts  but  so  perfect  were 
the  defences  he  planned  and  so  completely  were  the 
garrisons  covered  by  the  company  of  rangers  he  or 
ganized,  that  during  the  remainder  of  the  war,  no 
hostile  force  was  able  to  approach  within  striking  dis 
tance  without  detection  and  no  serious  losses  were 
suffered  by  the  colonists. 

In  1796,  General  Putnam  resigned  as  judge  to  ac 
cept  the  appointment,  tendered  him  by  President 
Washington,  of  surveyor  general  of  the  United 
States.  He  was  removed  from  this  office  for  political 


I  g  PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL. 

reasons  in  1803,  by  President  Jefferson.  In  1802,  he 
was  elected  one  of  the  delegates  from  Washington 
county  to  the  convention  which  formed  the  first  con 
stitution  of  Ohio.  He  was  chosen  by  the  territorial 
legislature  one  of  the  first  trustees  of  the  Ohio  Uni 
versity  at  Athens  in  1801.  The  election  of  Jefferson 
to  the  presidency  and  the  triumph  of  his  followers  in 
the  new  state  of  Ohio,  ended  the  public  life  of  General 
Putnam,  who  to  the  end  of  his  days  remained  a 
staunch  Federalist. 

In  1798,  he  was  the  prime  mover  in  establishing 
in  Marietta  the  first  academy  of  learning;  in  1807, 
he  planned  and  superintended  the  building  of  the 
church  still  used  by  the  Congregational  Society  there ; 
in  1812,  he  organized  there  the  first  Bible  Society 
west  of  the  mountains;  in  1817,  the  first  Sunday 
school  and  he  was  the  largest  subscriber  to  the  funds 
of  each. 

He  died  in  1824,  in  his  eighty-seventh  year.  His 
wife  died  in  1820.  Five  children,  two  sons  and  three 
daughters,  survived  them.  Their  descendants  are 
widely  scattered  through  the  west  and  are  among  its 
leading  and  influential  citizens. 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH.  19 

About  the  year  1812,  General  Putnam  wrote  for 
his  children  a  narrative  of  the  leading  events  of  his 
life.  This,  with  the  original  of  the  journal  which 
follows  and  other  manuscripts,  embracing  an  exten 
sive  correspondence  with  Washington,  Pickering, 
Trumbull,  Wolcott,  Fisher  Ames  and  others  of  the 
prominent  men  of  his  time,  is  deposited  in  the  library 
of  the  college  at  Marietta,  Ohio.  A  number  of  ex 
tracts  from  these  memoirs  appear  in  the  notes.  They 
show  his  matured  opinion  of  the  men  and  events  men 
tioned  in  the  journal. 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL, 

.       1757. 


J0utnam'0  journal. 


[UFUS  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL,  For  the  year  A.  D. 
1757,  who  belonged  to  the  Militia  Company 
in  Brookfield,  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
Nathaniel  Woolcut,  and  enlisted  into  His 
Majesty's  Service,  in  a  Provincial  Regiment  of  Foot 
of  whom  Joseph  Fry,  Esq.,  is  Col.  and  in  the  Company 
of  Capt.  Ebenezer  Learned.1  To  serve  one  year  from 
the  second  day  of  February,  1757,  and  no  longer. 

Col.   Fry's2  Regiment  consisted  of  1800  men,  and 


1  Ebenezer  Learned,   born   Framlngham,   Mass.,   1728;  died 
Oxford,  Mass.,  1801.     Captain  in  French  war  1757.     Marched 
to  Cambridge  with  3d  Mass,  regiment  day  after  battle  of  Lex 
ington.      April  2d,  1777,  appointed  brigadier  general   by  Con 
gress.    Commanded  brigade  at  battle  of  Still  water,  Sept.  19th, 
1777.      Was  at  Valley   Forge  in  winter   of   1777  and  1778. 
Retired  from  the  army,  March   24th,  1778. — Drakes  Diction 
ary  American  Biography. 

2  Joseph  Frye,  born  in  Andover,  Mass.,  1709;  died  Fryeburg, 
Maine,  Jan.   8th,   1794,  justice  of  peace  and  member  Mass. 
General  Court.     Served  as  ensign   in  Male's   Mass.   Regiment 


24  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

they  were  in  17  companies.  Capt.  Chevers,  Saltinson,1 
Burk2,  Kerver,3  Hartwell,  Thaxter,  Taplee,4  Davis,5 
Indecut,  Ingersol,  Aberthonate,6  Walldo,  Learned, 
Ball,  Nelson,  West,  Baly. 


at  taking  of  Louisburg  in  1745.  Colonel  of  Mass.  Regiment 
in  1757.  Appointed  major  general  by  state  of  Massachusetts, 
1775.  Brigadier  general  by  Congress  in  1776.  Resigned  on 
account  of  ill  health,  April  23d,  1  776. — Drake's  Dictionary 
American  Biography. 

1  Richard  Salt  on  stall,  was  born  at  Haverhill,  Mass.,  April 
5th,  1732.     He  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1751.     In  1754 
he  was  colonel  of  militia.      In    1757   he  was  captain   in  Col. 
Frye's  provincial  regiment  and  was  with  the  troops  surrendered 
at  Fort  William  Henry.    In  1760  he  was  colonel  of  a  provincial 
regiment.     At  the   close   of  the  war  he  was   appointed    high 
sheriff  of  Essex  county.    He  was  an  ardent  royalist  and  in  1774 
settled  in  England,    The  king  granted  him  a  pension,  although 
he  refused  to  enter  the  army.      He  died  at  Kensington,   Eng 
land,  in  1785. — See  Chase's  History  of  Haverhill. 

2  Capt.  .John  Burk  "  at  the  surrender  of  Fort  William  Henry 
was  seized  and  stripped  of   his  clothes,  but    escaped." — Trum- 
buWs  Indian   Wars. 

3  Kerver.     Probably  Captain   Jonathan   Carver,  the  famous 
traveler;  he  was  with  Frye's  regiment  in  this  campaign. 

4  There  was  a  Capt.  Jno.  Taplin  from  Sutton. 

6  Capt.  Davis  of  Brimfield,  Mass.,  was  tarred  and  feathered 
at  Union,  Connecticut,  in  1774  for  his  obnoxious  acts  and  sen 
timents. — /Sabme's  Loyalists 

6  "  Captain  Arbuthnot,  who  was  in  the  fort  (William  Henry) 
at  the  time  of  its  surrender,  hailed  from  Marlborough." 
Hudsorfs  History  Marlborough. 


PUTNAM' 8  JO URNAL.  25 

March  ye  152  1757.  Then  enlisted  myself  into  his 
majesty's  service. 

March  25.  Then  passed  muster  at  Deacon  James 
Woods  in  New  Brantry,  before  Col.  Timothy  Ruggles, 
Esq.,1  of  Hardwick. 

April  ye  12  &  13.  Drawed  our  arms  and  clothing 
at  Worster.  The  same  day  I  went  to  Sutton  to  my 
brothers. 

April  15.  Returned  from  Sutton  to  Brookfield. 

April  29.  Capt.  Learned's  company  mustered  to 
gether  at  Brookfield  in  order  to  march. 

April  30.  Marched  to  Kingston. 

May  y€  1.  Marched  from  Kingston  to  Springfield. 

May  2.  It  being  very  windy  all  the  fore  part  of  the 
day,  so  that  we  could  not  cross  the  River  until  just 


1  Timothy  Ruggles,  born  Rochester,  Mass.,  Oct.  llth,  1711; 
died  at  Wilmot,  Nova  Scotia,  August  4th,  1795.  Graduated 
Harvard  University,  1732.  Practiced  law  at  Sandwich  and 
Hardwick.  Member  Mass,  legislature,  1736.  Colonel  of  a 
Mass.  Provincial  regiment,  1755,  1756  and  1757.  Brigadier 
general  in  1759  and  1760.  Chief  justice  Mass ,  from  1762  till 
1775.  Speaker  of  assembly  1762-3.  Delegate  to  Stamp  Act 
Congress  at  New  York  in  1765.  Adhered  to  the  royal  cause 
during  the  revolution.  Left  Boston  when  it  was  evacuated 
by  the  British,  and  accompanied  the  army  to  Long  Island, 
where  he  organized  a  battalion  of  loyal  militia.  His  estate 
was  confiscated  by  Mass,  in  1779.  He  settled  in  Nova  Scotia. 
He  was  a  successful  lawyer,  a  scholar  of  note,  and  a  brave  and 
capable  soldier. —  Drake's  Dictionary  of  American  Biog 
raphy. 

4 


26  PUTNAM' 8  JO  URNAL. 

night.  After  we  crossed  the  river  we  marched  about 
five  miles. 

May  3.  Marched  to  Glascow. 

May  4.  Marched  through  the  Green  Woods1  to 
No.  1. 

May  5.  Marched  to  Lovejoys  about  ten  miles  be 
yond  Sheffield. 

May  6.  Marched  into  Kinderhook,  where  we  were 
lodged  in  two  Barns. 

May  7.  Drawed  stores  for  one  week  which  were 
very  mean  and  scanty,  and  we  had  not  yet  drawed 
anything  to  cook  in,  which  made  it  very  difficult 
for  us. 

May  ye  10.  By  reason  of  other  companies  coming 
into  town,  our  company  was  obliged  to  move  about 
one  mile  and  a-half  all  into  one  Barn. 

May  12.  Leut.  Moore  of  Worster  came  to  see  us 
from  Albany,  and  several  other  Rangers  with  him. 

May  17.  We  had  orders  to  March  to  Scocook. 
During  our  stay  at  this  place  Capt.  Learned  went  to 


1  Green  Woods.  The  forest  between  the  Connecticut  and 
Hudson  rivers. 

"  In  1736  a  committee  of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts 
recommended  the  laying  out  a  range  of  townships  between  the 
Merrimack  and  the  Connecticut  and  on  each  side  the  last  named 
river.  These  townships  were  numbered  1  to  9.  Of  these 
Number  4  was  afterwards  called  Charleston  in  honor  of  Ad 
miral  Sir  Charles  Knowles." —  Collections  of  the  New  Hamp 
shire  Historical  Society,  N.  102,  103,  113. 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL.  27 

prayer  with  his  Company  morning  and  evening  and 
on  the  Sabbaths  read  in  a  sermon  Book. 

May  18.  Marched  this  day  to  Greenbush,  where 
we  lodged  in  Col.  Ranelow's  Barn. 

May  19.  Every  man  had  Nine  Rounds  delivered  to 
him  which  was  the  first  ammunition  that  we  drawed 
after  we  marched  to  Albany  Flats,  and  the  same  day 
we  drawed  our  Tents,  Kettles,  Bowls,  Platters,  Spoons. 
This  Night  we  pitched  our  Tents  and  Lodged  in  them. 

May  20.  This  morning,  sun  about  an  hour  high, 
one  of  our  Company  was  shot  through  the  hip  with  a 
single  ball.  The  ball  is  cut  out,  and  the  man  is  likely 
to  do  well.  His  name  is  JedediaL  Win  slow. 

May  21.  Marched  from  the  Flats  to  Scocook — this 
town  is  on  the  Hoosack  river  and  is  about  three  miles 
from  Stillwater.  H'is  been  a  settled  town  by  the 
Dutch,  but  its  inhabitants  are  all  drawn  in,  for  fear 
of  the  Enemy.  There  were  two  other  Companies 
came  into  this  town  this  night,  viz :  Davis  and  In- 
decuts. 

May  24.  There  came  three  Companies  more  into 
Town  viz  :  Ingersol,  Thaxter,  Baly,  the  Companies 
all  belonged  to  Massachusetts  Regt's. 

May  26.  About  nine  o'clock  Capt.  Indecut's  Com 
pany  and  Capt.  Learned's  marched  back  three  miles 
to  the  Mills  and  opposite  to  the  Halfway  House,  and 
the  other  Companies  marched  to  Stillwater,  and  we 
found  that  our  Companies  with  Capt.  Burk's,  which 


28  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

we  found  there,  were  left  there  to  mend  up  the  fences 
at  Scocook,  in  order  to  cut  Hay  for  the  king's  Bag 
gage  Horses. 

May  27.  Capt.  Learned,  Leut.  Walker  with  70 
men  went  to  Scocook  to  work. 

May  30.  Capt.  Learned  finished  the  fences  at  Sco 
cook  and  turned  out  the  Horses  and  it  was  Judged  by 
all  that  there  was  1,500  acres  within  fence,  all  of  the 
best  of  mowing.  After  which  we  returned  back  to 
the  Landing,  where  we  found  that  Jedediah  Winslow 
who  was  shot,  down  at  the  Flats,  was  come  up,  and 
was  able  to  stand  upon  crutches. 

June  3.  Col.  Fry  came  up  to  this  place. 

June  4.  Col.  Fry  went  up  to  Still  water  with  a  guard 
of  30  men. 

June  8.  Received  orders  to  march. 

June  9.  Marched  to  Still  water  where  there  were 
ten  companies  belonging  to  our  Regt. 

June  11.  Col.  Fry  with  thirteen  Companies  marched 
to  Saratoga  where  the  rest  of  our  Regt.  lay. 

June  13.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  Hampshire  men 
came  to  Saratoga. 

June  14.  Col.  Fry  marched  his  Regt.  toward  Fort 
Edward,1  but  we  could  not  reach  the  Fort  this  night 


1  4<  Fort  Edward  stood  on  the  easterly  bank  of  the  Hudson 
or  North  river  about  66  miles  above  Albany.  The  river  washed 
one  side  of  its  wall.  Its  form  was  somewhat  irregular,  having 
two  bastions  and  half  bastions.  The  walls  were  high  and  thick, 


PUTNAM' 8  JOURNAL.  29 

but  encamped  in  the  old  field  opposite  to  the  Brick- 
kills. 

June  15.  Crossed  the  river  and  pitched  our  Tents. 

June  16.  Capt  Putnam1  came  in  from  Ticonderoga 
and  had  taken  a  prisoner. 


composed  of  hewed  timber  and  earth.  A  broad  rampart  with 
casement  or  bomb-proof.  A  deep  ditch  with  a  'draw-bridge. 
A  covered  way,  glacis,  etc.  I  have  been  particular  in  this  de 
scription;  because  in  1777  there  was  by  no  means  so  great  an 
appearance  of  there  having  been  a  fortification  there  as  we  find 
in  the  ancient  works  at  Marietta  and  other  parts  of  the  Ohio 
country. — Mss.  Memoirs. 

1  Israel  Putnam.  He  is  often  confounded  with  Rufus  Putnam. 
He  was  a  cousin  of  Rufus  Putnam's  father.  Israel  Putnam  was 
born  in  West  Salem,  Massachusetts,  January  7th,  1718.  In 
1755,  he  raised  and  commanded  a  company  for  the  French  war 
and  greatly  distinguished  himself  by  his  courage.  He  was  pro 
moted  to  major  in  1757;  to  lieutenant  colonel  in  1759;  and 
colonel  in  1764.  He  commanded  a  Connecticut  regiment  in  the 
expedition  against  Havana  and  was  with  Bradstreet  in  his  cam 
paign  against  the  western  Indians.  After  the  expiration  of  his 
term  of  service,  he  was  several  times  elected  to  civil  office  in 
Connecticut.  In  1773,  he  went  with  Rufus  Putnam,  Thaddeus 
Lyman,  Roger  Enos  and  others  to  examine  lands  in  Florida,  that 
were  to  be  granted  to  the  colonial  officers  and  soldiers  who  had 
served  in  the  French  war.  He  returned  the  following  year  and 
resumed  his  occupation  as  a  farmer.  On  hearing  of  the  battle 
of  Lexington  in  1775,  he  unhitched  his  horse  from  the  plow 
and  rode  to  the  scene  of  action.  He  returned,  recruited  a  regi 
ment  and  marched  to  Cambridge.  He  was  commissioned 
brigadier  general  by  Connecticut  April  26th,  1775;  major 
general  by  the  continental  congress  June  19th,  1775. 


30  PUTNAM' 8  JOURNAL. 

June  17.  Our  Regt.  was  drawn  up  and  viewed  by 
Major  Fletcher  and  afterwards  had  the  Articles  of 
War  read  to  us. 

June  18.  This  day  two  of  our  Bay  forces,  were  buried 
which  was  the  first  that  was  buried  out  of  our  Regt. 
This  day  likewise  there  went  a  party  of  men  part  of 
the  way  down  to  Saratoga  and  there  encamped. 

June  19.  About  break  of  day  those  men  arose  and 
began  to  march  toward  Saratoga,  but  they  had  not 
marched  far,  before  they  were  fired  upon  by  the 
Enemy.  They  shot  one  man  through  the  Body  so 
that  he  died  the  next  day.  Another  man  was 
slightly  wounded  in  the  head.  Both  these  were  Regu 
lars.  The  rest  of  the  men  all  came  in  well.  This 
day  there  were  orders  for  every  man  should  fire  his 
piece,  except  they  were  newly  loaded. 

June  20.  I  went  on  guard. 


In  command  of  the  American  forces  at  Bunker  Hill  he  dis 
played  the  same  reckless  gallantry  that  made  him  famous  in 
the  French  war.  He  commanded  in  New  York  after  the 
evacuation  of  Boston  by  the  British  ;  was  engaged  in  the  bat 
tle  of  Long  Island,  commanded  at  Philadelphia  and  on  the 
New  Jersey  front  in  the  winter  of  1776  and  1777  ;  located  the 
fort  at  West  Point  in  1777.  In  1779,  he  was  attacked  by 
paralysis  and  compelled  to  leave  the  service.  He  died  May 
19th,  1790,  This  extract  from  his  epitaph  fittingly  sums  up  his 
character  as  a  soldier.  "  He  dared  to  lead  where  any  dared 
to  follow." 


PUTNAM '8  JO URNAL.  %\ 

June  21.  There  came  a  scout  of  men  in  who  had 
been  out  under  Capt.  Ingersol,  they  went  out  the  19 
instant.  The  scout  consisted  of  about  80  men. 

June  22.  The  Mohawks  brought  in  a  prisoner  from 
Ticonderoga. 

June  23.  Capt  Flecher  of  the  35  Regt.  with  about 
30  Regulars,  20  Royal  Americans  and  Capt.  Saltinson 
with  92  Bay  men  besides  officers  mustered  down  to 
Saratoga  in  order  for  to  guard  up  General  Webb,  and 
arrived  there  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
at  our  arrival  we  did  expect  to  find  General  Webb,1 
but  he  was  not  come. 


lieutenant  General  Daniel  Webb,  entered  the  army  as  en 
sign  of  the  Coldstream  Guards,  29th  May,  1745,  but  resigned 
in  February,  1747,  and  joined,  it  is  supposed  some  other  regi 
ment.  He  succeeded  Colonel  Dunbar  in  the  command  of  the 
48th  foot,  on  the  llth  November,  1755,  and  arrived  at  New 
York  from  England,  7th  June,  1756,  with  the  rank  of  brigadier 
general,  to  relieve  General  Shirley. 

In  succeeding  to  the  regiment  of  Colonel  Dunbar,  he  seems 
to  have  inherited  also  his  disposition  to  take  to  flight,  on  the 
least  appearance  of  danger  ;  for  being  dispatched  in  1756  with 
a  considerable  force  to  the  relief  of  Oswego,  as  soon  as  he  got 
to  the  carrying  place,  now  Rome,  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  he  be 
came  so  alarmed  on  hearing  of  the  fall  of  the  fort  he  was  sent 
to  relieve,  that  he  filled  Wood  creek  with  trees  to  prevent  the 
approach  of  the  enemy.  One  would  think  that  this  would  pre 
vent  his  being  again  put  in  any  position  of  responsibility,  but 
no,  the  next  year  he  shamefully  abandoned  Colonel  Munroe  at 
Fort  William  Henry,  though  at  the  head  of  4000  men.  He 


32  PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL. 

June  24.  This  day  about  11  oclock  General  Webb 
came  to  the  Fort  and  in  the  afternoon  we  returned 
back  to  Fort  Edward. 

June  25.  This  day  I  went  on  command  at  Saratoga 
to  guard  teams,  and  when  we  came  there  we  (found) 
a  great  number  of  Regulars  and  12  field  pieces. 

June  26.  We  returned  to  Fort  Edward  and  the 
Regulars  with  the  Artillery  also  went  up  as  far  as  the 
River  but  they  did  not  go  over  this  night. 

June  27.  There  were  two  men  whipped  20  lashes 
apiece,  and  they  were  the  first  that  were  whipped  in 
our  Regt. 

June  28.  13  Frenchmen  that  broke  goal  at  York 
and  were  going  up  toward  Crown  Point,  by  being 
lost  came  into  this  Fort.  This  night  I  went  on  the 
picket  guard. 

June  29.  There  were  orders  that  a  true  list  of 
what  Officers  and  Soldiers  were  willing  to  go  a 
scouting  and  be  freed  from  other  duty,  should  be 
given  in 


was  ordered  home  in  consequence,  but  was  protected  in  some 
inexplicable  way.  from  censure.  On  the  25th  June,  1759,  he 
was  promoted  to  be  major  general  ;  in  June,  1761,  became 
lieutenant  general;  in  December,  1766,  was  appointed  colonel 
of  the  8th  or  King's  regiment  of  foot;  on  the  20th  October, 
1772,  colonel  of  the  14th  Dragoons,  and  died  in  October  or 
November,  1771. —  Documents  relating  to  Colonial  History, 
New  York,  volume  10,  p.  574. 


PUTNAM' 8  JO  URNAL.  33 

July  1.  This  day  there  came  in  two  of  Capt.  Put 
nam's  men  and  brought  in  news  that  Capt.  Putnam 
fired  upon  three  or  four  hundred  French  and  Indians 
on  South  Bay,  but  when  they  got  to  shore  they  were 
too  hard  for  him  and  he  wanted  help.  General 
Lyman  with  about  400  men  went  out  for  his  relief. 
I  was  on  the  picket  guard  so  that  I  could  not  go. 
About  4  hours  after  Capt.  Putnam  came  in,  who  said 
that  when  he  fired  on  the  Indians  it  was  about  three 
oclock  at  night,  and  being  bright  moonlight  and  the 
Enemy  came  up  the  Bay  quietly,  and  they  lying  un 
discovered  till  they  fired  on  them,  and  they  poured 
in  their  buck  shot  so  thick  that  they  cut  off  a  great 
part  of  their  boats  before  they  could  land.  The 
Enemy  tried  to  land  against  him  but  could  not  easily 
do  it,  he  fired  so  thick  upon  them ;  at  length  the 
Enemy  got  to  shore  below  him  in  spite  of  their  fire. 
The  Indians  wounded  three  of  his  men  &  he  sent  of 
a  party  to  help  them  away.  After  the  Indians  got 
on  shore  he  was  forced  to  Retreat,  for  he  judged  that 
there  was  three  or  four  hundred  of  the  Enemy;  and 
he  had  but  sixty-eight  men  when  he  fired  on  them  on 
the  Bay.  On  Capt.  Putnam's  return  home,  there  was 
another  scout  met  him  and  carelessly  fired  on  him 
and  wounded  one  of  his  men,  so  that  he  died  the  night 
after.1  This  day  was  also  two  scalps  brought  in  by 
the  Mohawks. 


1  Humphrey's  Life  of  Israel  Putnam  gives  an  account  of  this 
5 


34  P  UTNAM  '8  JO  URNAL. 

July  2.  I  went  on  a  guard  to  escort  Teams  to  the 
Lake. 

July  3.  We  returned  to  Fort  Edward  with  4  French 
Eegulars  who  deserted  from  Ticonderoga.  An  En 
sign  also  who  was  taken  last  year  came  in  from 
Canada. 

July  4.  General  Lyman1  came  in  with  all  the  men 
that  went  out  with  him  ;  but  they  found  that  two  of 


action,  not  materially  different  from  this;  though  it  is  made  to 
occur  after  the  surrender  of  Fort  William  Henry. 

\Vatson's  History  of  Essex  Co.  N.  Y.,  also  speaks  of  this 
action  as  occurring  in  1758. 

1  Major  General  Phineas  Lyman  was  born  at  Durham,  Con 
necticut,  about  1716;  was  graduated  in  1738  at  Yale  College, 
in  which  he  was  afterwards  a  tutor  three  years;  and  settled  as 
a  lawyer  in  Suffield.  He  sustained  various  public  offices.  In 
1755,  he  was  appointed  major  general  and  commander-m-chief 
of  the  Connecticut  forces,  and  built  Fort  Lyman  now  called 
Fort  Edward,  New  York.  In  1758  he  served  under  Abercrom- 
bie.  He  was  at  the  capture  of  Crown  Point  by  Amherst,  and 
at  the  surrender  of  Montreal.  In  1762,  he  commanded  the 
provincial  troops  in  the  expedition  against  Havana.  In  1763 
he  went  to  England,  as  the  agent  of  his  brother  officers,  to 
to  receive  their  prize  money;  also  as  agent  of  a  company  called 
the  "Military  Adventurers,"  to  solicit  a  grant  of  land  on  the 
Mississippi,  and  wasted  eleven  years  of  his  life.  Being  deluded 
for  years  by  idle  promises,  his  mind  sunk  down  to  imbecility. 
At  last  his  wife,  who  was  a  sister  of  Dr.  Dwight's  father,  sent 
his  second  son  to  England  to  solicit  his  return  in  1774.  A 
tract  of  20,000  acres  was  granted  to  the  petitioners  February  2, 


PUTNAM'S  JO URNAL.  35 

those  wounded  men  of  Capt.  Putnam's  were  carried  off, 
and  the  third  they  found  barbecued  at  a  most  doleful 
rate,  for  they  found  him  with  his  nails  all  pulled  out, 
his  lips  cut  off  down  to  his  chin  and  up  to  his  nose,  and 
his  jaws  lay  bare ;  his  scalp  was  taken  off,  his  breast 
cut  open,  his  heart  pulled  out  and  his  bullet  pouch 
put  in  the  room  of  it ;  his  left  hand  clenched  round 
his  gall,  a  Tomahawk  left  in  his  bowels  and  a  dart 
struck  through  him ;  the  little  finger  of  his  left  hand 
cut  off  and  the  little  toe  of  his  left  foot  cut  off. 

July  5.  Six  Companies  of  Rangers  were  appointed 
out  of  all  the  Provincials  ;  these  were  to  do  Ranging 
duty  and  no  other.  Out  of  our  Regt.  was  Capt.  West 
and  Capt.  Learned,  Out  of  Connecticut  was  Capt.  Put 
nam  and  Capt.  Sefford,  and  out  of  York  forces  Capt. 
Meginiss,  out  of  Rhode  Island  Capt.  Wall.  There 
were  52  men  of  Capt.  Learned  original  Company  en 
listed  with  him,  also  there  went  his  first  Lieut,  and 
Ensign,  one  Sergeant  and  two  Corporals. 

July  6.  In  the  afternoon  the  Rangers  were  mus 
tered  together  and  there  fell  to  Capt.  Learned,  the 
men  that  went  out  of  Capt.  Kerver's,  Capt.  A.  Hart- 
well,  Capt.  Burk's,  Capt.  Taplees'  Companies ;  and 
the  rest  of  our  Regt  went  under  Capt.  West.  This 


1775.  After  his  return  he  embarked  with  his  eldest  son,  for 
the  Mississippi,  and  both  died  soon  after  their  arrival  at  West 
Florida,  in  M^b.—Dwighfs  Travels,  I,  305;  III,  361. 


36  PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL. 

night  we  had  24  Rounds  delivered  to  us  with  what 
we  had  before. 

July  8.  This  morning,  Lieut.  Colings,  who  joined 
our  company,  went  out  a  scout  for  six  days,  with  22 
men.  Our  orders  were  to  go  and  lie  on  the  mountains 
West  of  South  Bay  and  lie  there  three  days.  We 
marched  about  10  miles  and  then  encamped. 

July  9.  We  marched  on  in  the  path  that  the  French 
Army  came  in  the  first.  We  marched  about  ten 
miles  &  then  Lieut.  Colings  concluded  that  we  were 
got  so  near  the  South  Bay  that  it  was  not  safe  to  go 
on  the  Road  any  further,  and  he  sent  three  of  us  off, 
to  see  which  was  the  best  way  to  come  on  the  moun 
tain  to  view  the  Bay.  And  we  were  gone  so  long 
that  they  concluded  the  Enemy  had  taken  us,  and  so 
they  marched  off  carrying  off  all  our  provisions  and 
Blankets.  When  we  returned,  we  hunted  for  to  track 
off,  but  could  not,  for  we  found  they  went  upon  the 
mountains.  We  fired  a  gun  to  see  if  they  would 
answer  us,  but  they  did  not,  though  afterwards  they 
told  us  they  heard  us.  This  night  we  encamped  as 
well,  but  the  gnats  and  musquitoes  were  a  great 
trouble  to  us,  having  no  blankets ;  and  I  had  nothing 
but  a  shirt  and  Indian  stockings,  and  no  man  can  tell 
what  an  affliction  those  little  animals  were. 

July  10.  This  morning  we  fired  two  guns  but  had 
no  answer.  We  hunted  till  about  noon,  but  could  not 
find  them.  About  noon  we  were  on  the  mountains 
west  of  South  Bay,  and,  after  hunting  till  about  one 


P  UTNAM  '8  JO  URNAL.  3  7 

o'clock  and  then  not  finding  them,  we  set  off  for  Fort 
Edward  and  arrived  the  same  night  within  about  eight 
miles  of  it. 

July  11.  This  morning  about  ten  o'clock  we  arrived 
at  Fort  Edward,  and  now  for  three  days  I  had  not 
eaten  any  food,  but  what  grew  wild  in  the  woods. 

July  12.  Came  in  Lieut  Colings  and  the  rest  of  the 
Scout  that  went  out  with  me  to  South  Bay. 

July  15.  Capt.  Learned  went  out  a  Scout  for  8 
days  with  80  men.  Orders  given  out  that  if  any  man 
was  found  playing  cards,  he  should  receive  500  lashes. 

July  16.  A  sick  man  was  sent  in  from  Capt. 
Learned's  Scout.  This  day  there  was  one  of  Capt. 
Tapslee's  men  a  playing  Ball  and  immediately  dropped 
down  dead. 

July  19.  Capt.  Nelson,  with  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  went  down  to  work  on  the  Roads  between 
Saratoga  and  Fort  Edward. 

July  21.  This  day  here  was  a  soldier  belonging  to 
the  Second  Battalion  of  Royal  Americans,  shot  for 
desertion.  This  day  also  came  in  a  scout  of  men  that 
went  out  under  Lieut.  Dormit,  and  they  said  they 
were  fired  upon  near  South  Bay  and  Lieut  Dormit  was 
killed.  This  day  also  came  in  Capt.  Learned  who 
went  out  the  15  day. 

July  23.  This  morning  about  eight  oclock  in  the 
morning  about  400  Indians  fired  on  our  workmen 
within  80  Rods  of  the  Fort.  Capt.  Learned's  Com 
pany  being  the  first  on  the  ground,  for  they  were  the 


38  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

nearest,  and  they  were  smartly  engaged  some  time 
before  any  other  help  could  get  there.  Capt.  Putnam 
and  his  Company  was  the  next  though  they  had  to 
come  from  the  Island.  The  fight  continued  about  one 
hour  and  then  the  Enemy  Retreated.  We  recovered 
some  Packs  &  some  guns ;  but  no  prisoners,  nor  scalps. 
The  Enemy  killed  11  men,  and  one  is  missing;  2 
more  died  the  night  after.  In  the  afternoon,  Capt* 
Learned,  Capt.  Putnam  and  Capt.  West  pursued  them 
with  about  250  men,  and  we  made  great  discovery  of 
their  dead  and  wounded,  but  recovered  none.  We 
marched  about  ten  miles  and  then  encamped.2 

July  24.  Returned  home  safely. 

July  25.  General  Webb  went  up  to  the  Lake. 

July  26.  There  was  a  man  shot  off  his  gun  acci 
dentally,  &  shot  a  man  in  the  next  Tent  through  the 


3  This  fight  is  spoken  of  in  Humphrey's  life  of  Israel  Putnam, 
as  having  occurred  after  the  surrender  of  Fort  William  Henry. 
Humphrey  says  that  Israel  Putnam  was  stationed  "  on  an 
island  adjacent  to  the  fort."  At  sound  of  the  firing  he  plunged 
into  the  river  at  the  head  of  his  men  and  hurried  to  the  rescue. 
As  he  passed  the  fort,  Gen.  Lymaii  ordered  him  to  halt. 
He  disobeyed  the  order,  and  with  the  assistance  of  the  men  he 
brought,  the  troops  engaged  ;  who  were  nearly  overpowered, 
rallied  and  repulsed  the  enemy.  General  Lyman  feared  that 
the  firing  was  the  prelude  to  a  general  attack,  and  that  the 
whole  party  would  be  lost.  Humphrey  says  nothing  of  Capt. 
Learned;  but  says  the  working  party  were  protected  by  Capt. 
Little  with  fifty  British  regulars. 


PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL.  39 

body ;  who  never  spoke  more  words  than  these  :  I  am 
a  dead  man;  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  me. 

July  27.  This  day  our  men  growing  very  unwilling 
to  go  a  scouting  without  some  consideration  for  it,  they 
made  their  complaint  to  the  Capt.  and  he  made  appli 
cation  to  Major  Fletcher,  the  Commanding  Officer  of 
the  Fort  who  came  out  and  spoke  to  us  on  behalf  of 
the  General  and  told  us  if  we  would  still  stand  as 
Rangers,  we  should  (have)  three  dollars  per  month 
allowed  us,  extraordinary  ;  and  half  a  pint  of  Rum 
when  we  scouted.  The  Rum  we  got  sometimes;  but 
the  money  we  never  see. 

July  28,  The  Rangers  shot  at  marks  by  order  of 
Major  Fletcher. 

July  29.  Capt.  West  came  in  of  his  scout,  who  had 
been  to  South  Bay  and  buried  Lieut.  Dormit ;  whom 
they  found  with  his  head  and  arms  cut  off  and  his 
body  cut  to  pieces. 

July  30.  General  Webb  came  down  from  the  Lake. 

July  31.  This  day  the  whole  army  was  set  at  a 
minute's  warning. 

August  1.  This  day  Col.  Fry's  Regt.  ordered  to 
march  to  the  Lake  tomorrow. 

August  2.  Col.  Fry  marched  his  Regt.  to  the  Lake, 
except  Two  Companies  of  Rangers  and  a  great  num 
ber  of  Invalids.  Part  of  the  2nd  Battalion  of  Royal 
Americans,  and  the  Independent  Regt.  marched  with 
them  and  Eight  Field  Pieces. 


40  PUTNAM' 8  JO URNAL. 

August  3.  This  morning,  I  being  out  on  the  morn 
ing  scout  with  Capt.  Learned,  sun  about  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  high,  we  heard  the  Cannons  fired  at  Fort  William 
Henry,  and  before  we  got  in,  we  heard  15  Cannons 
fired  and  a  great  many  small  arms.  When  we  came 
into  Fort  Edward  we  found  that  Capt.  Putnam  had 
sent  off  three  men  for  spies. 

August  4.  There  came  in  an  Express  from  Fort 
William  and  brought  news  that  there  was  near  12000 
French  landed  against  Fort  William. 

August  5.  There  came  another  Express  from  Fort 
William  and  brought  news  that  for  the  first  two  days, 
the  French  fired  no  cannon,  and  that  they  had  killed 
but  few  men ;  and  that  the  men  were  in  good  spirits 
and  of  good  courage. 

August  6.  This  day  there  came  another  Express 
from  the  Lake  and  brought  news  that  the  French  flung 
no  bombs  as  yet.  Further  they  brought  News  that 
Lieut.  Jonson  was  out  on  a  scout  when  the  siege  first 
began  and  that  he  came  through  the  French  Army 
into  our  Breast- work  without  losing  one  man.  He 
also  bro't  news  that  there  was  but  about  300  men  in 
the  Fort ;  the  rest  were  in  the  Breast-work  on  the 
hill,  or  the  old  encampment ;  arid  that  the  Enemy 
had  not  hurt  the  Fort  in  any  shape. 

August  9.  Mr.  Crofford,  Chaplain  to  our  Regt. 
Preached  from  1  Samuel  14  :  6.  In  the  afternoon 
there  came  in  another  Express  from  the  Lake  and 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL.  41 

brought  news  that  the  French  flung  their  Bombs  into 
the  Fort,  but  they  killed  but  few  men. 

August  8.  There  came  no  Express  from  the  Lake. 

August  9.  There  came  another  Express  from  the 
Lake  and  bro't  news  that  the  Fort  was  well  last  night 
at  nine  o'clock.  Last  night  also  we  saw  the  signals 
that  were  flung  up  for  signals  of  distress  at  Fort 
William  Henry.  The  Post  also  sd  that  they  had  split 
most  of  their  Cannon,  and  that  they  must  be  obliged 
to  give  up  the  Fort,  except  they  had  relief  from  this 
Fort.  This  Express  arrived  in  about  ten  o'clock,  and 
before  he  came  in,  the  Cannon  ceased,  but  we  knew 
not  the  meaning  of  it.  Just  at  night  there  came  in  a 
Frenchman  that  belonged  to  Capt.  Thaxter,  and  he 
said  that  the  French  flag  was  hoisted  in  Fort  William 
Henry  at  eight  o'clock  this  morning;  and  as  soon  as 
he  saw  it,  he  jumped  over  the  Breast-work  and  made 
his  escape. 

August  10.  This  day  the  Enemy  fell  on  our  People, 
contrary  to  the  articles  of  Capitulation.1 

August  11.  This  day  several  of  the  officers  belong 
ing  to  our  Regt.  came  and  among  them  all  there  was 


1  In  his  manuscript  memoirs  Gen.  Putnam,  in  speaking  of 
the  surrender  of  Fort  William  Henry,  says  that  the  general 
opinion  in  the  army  at  that  time  was  that  General  Webb  was 
a  coward,  and  that  he  could  and  should  have  made  an  effort  to 
relieve  the  fort.  There  was  much  excitement  in  regard  to  his 
conduct  in  neglecting  to  bury  the  dead  who  had  been  butchered 
by  the  Indians  or  to  search  among  them  if  by  chance  any  might 
be  living. 

6 


4 2  PUTNAM  '8  JO  URNALl 

but  one  that  had  not  lost  the  most  of  his  Clothes,  and 
all  his  Regimental  Rigging.  This  night  came  in  Col. 
Fry. 

August  12.  This  day  the  most  of  the  men  that 
came  in  from  the  Lake  were  sent  off. 

Aug.  13.   Col.  Fry  went  off  from  this  Fort. 

August  14.  Just  at  night  there  came  a  Flag  of 
Truce  from  the  Lake  to  warn  a  guard  to  come  and 
receive  the  Prisoners  that  were  left. 

August  15.  General  Webb  sent  a  guard  to  Re 
ceive  the  Prisoners,  at  the  Half-way  Brook;  where 
they  went  and  returned  home  to  the  Fort  the  same 
day. 

August  16.  In  the  afternoon  Lieut,  Walker  with 
about  20  men,  went  out  after  a  man  that  was  wounded 
on  the  Road;  and  about  two  miles  from  Fort  Ed 
ward  we  lit  of  an  Englishman,  who  was  taken  at 
Oswego  last  year,  and  carne  waiter  to  a  French  Offi 
cer  down  to  the  siege  of  Fort  Wm.  Hy.  and  had  now 
made  his  escape  from  them.  And  he  gave  us  intelli 
gence  that  the  Army  which  came  to  the  Siege  of  Fort 
Wm.  Hy.  marched  from  Quebec  the  last  day  of 
April,  and  that  the  army  besides  Indians  (consisted 
of)  15000  (perhaps  these  figures  are  18000)  Regulars 
and  Canadians.  We  found  the  man  and  carried  him 
into  Fort  Edward  the  same  night. 

August  17.  There  came  in  one  of  our  Regt.  who 
had  been  in  the  woods  ever  since  the  9th  day. 


PUTNAM'S  JO URNAL.  43 

August  19.  Came  in  one  of  the  Regulars  who  had 
been  out  in  the  woods  ever  since  Fort  Wm.  H.  was 
taken. 

August  20.  Capt.  Learned  was  carried  into  the 
Hospital  sick  with  the  small-pox. 

August  21.  This  day  Capt.  Putnam  went  for  eleven 
days  scout.  This  day  came  in  Lieut.  Coone  who  was 
taken  last  June  at  Scocook  Landing  (and)  another 
who  was  taken  thirteen  months  ago,  at  (Hoosack). 
They  came  from  Montreal  20  days  ago. 

August  24.  This  day  came  in  George  Robins  of 
Petersham,  who  was  taken  the  17  of  last  April,  20 
miles  from  No.  4  Fort.  There  were  three  more  men 
that  came  in  with  him.  The  name  of  the  Indian 
Town  he  lived  in  was  Caughneeawaukee.  He  brought 
news  that  the  French  hired  200  savages  to  fight  for 
them,  and  that  they  would  bite  pieces  out  of  their 
arms  and  shoulders,  as  they  travelled  along,  and 
suck  their  blood ;  and  that  they  would  when  they 
killed  them,  cut  out  their  breast  bone  and  suck  their 
blood  up  with  it ;  and  further  he  said  that  the  French 
could  not  command  them  ;  but  that  they  would  kill 
Horses,  Sheep  and  cattle,  and  that  they  killed  one 
Frenchman  to  eat,  and  when  they  came  through  the 
town,  the  Squaws  pulled  the  Prisoners  into  the 
houses  for  fear  of  those  horrible  Towevans  for  so  they 
call  them. 


44  PUTNAM'S  JO  TTRNAL. 

August  26.  Peter  Thair  of  our  Company,  who  had 
deserted,  was  bro't  back  and  put  under  the  Regular 
guard. 

August  30.  Capt.  Putnam  came  in  who  had  been 
out  12  days  Scout  up  to  Ticonderoga,  and  had  left  a 
negro  sick  in  the  woods  and  two  Indians  to  look  after 
him. 

September  ye  1.  Came  in  two  men  from  the  French 
that  were  taken  some  years  ago.  This  day  Lieut. 
Walker,  with  40  men,  went  out  after  the  negro  that 
Capt.  Putnam  left  in  the  woods.  We  took  six  days 
provisions  and  marched  this  day  about  20  miles. 

Sept.  2.  After  encamping  we  marched  on  our  way 
about  5  miles,  and  then  met  the  two  Indians  that 
were  left  with  the  negro,  and  they  sd  that  as  one  of 
them  was  some  way  oft  boiling  some  cocolatt  (?)  and 
he  said  that  he  saw  an  Indian  come  up  a  Sharp 
Ridge  and  look  down  upon  him  ;  then  the  Indian 
stepped  back  and  a  Frenchman  looked  over  the  Ridge. 
He  said  he  made  as  if  he  did  not  see  him  ;  but  went 
directly  off  and  told  his  mate  which  made  his  escape 
with  him  and  left  the  negro.  After  we  found  these 
men,  we  returned  some  part  of  the  way,  and  then  en 
camped. 

Sept.  3.  We  came  to  Fort  Edward.  This  day 
Peter  Thare  was  set  at  Liberty. 

Sept.  4.  Two  High  Dutchmen  came  in  from  Ti- 
condaroga  who  deserted  from  there  six  days  ago.  In 
the  afternoon  came  in  two  Frenchmen.  The  sun 


PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL.  4 5 

about  an  hour  high,  John  Weeks  of  Capt.  Learned's 
Company,  was  out  a  frying  some  beef  and  immediately 
dropped  down  dead. 

Sept.  5.  This  morning  there  was  two  of  the  Royal 
Americans  Shot  for  their  deserting,  and  was  taken  up 
near  the  Lake.  A  Connecticut  man  whipped  500 
Lashes  for  Enlisting  into  York  forces.  And  this 
Evening  three  Yorkers  whipped  600  lashes  apiece 
and  were  to  receive  the  remainder  of  a  thousand; 
which  lashes  they  Received  for  deserting.  Eight 
Prisoners  came  in  from  the  French,  that  were  taken 
at  Fort  Wm.  Hy. 

Sept.  6.  This  day  there  went  out  three  Scouts,  20 
men  on  a  Scout.  One  was  to  go  to  East  Bay ;  the 
second,  toward  the  South  Bay ;  the  third  toward  the 
East  side  of  Lake  George.  These  Scouts  went  out  for 
six  days. 

Sept.  14.  20  of  Capt.  Learned's  Company  was  drafted 
into  Capt.  West's  and  the  rest  were  sent  on  to  the 
Island  to  do  Camp  duty,  Lieut  Walker  also  tarried 
with  those  that  went  into  Capt.  West's  Company. 

Sept.  16.  Ensign  Man  ton  of  Capt.  West  Company, 
went  out  with  20  men  with  two  days  provisions,  in 
order  to  go  and  see  what  discovery  we  could  make  at 
the  Lake.  We  marched  up  to  the  Half-way  Brook 
and  then  encamped. 

Sept.  17.  10  of  our  party  was  sent  into  Fort  Ed 
ward  and  the  rest  of  us  marched  on  toward  the  Lake 


46  PUTNAM  '#  JO URNAL. 

and  on  our  march  we  met  with  a  Hampshire  man 
that  had  made  his  escape  from  Ticonderoga.  We 
went  up  to  the  Lake,  but  discovered  nothing  but  the 
Ruins  of  that  famous  Fort  and  the  Bodies  of  those 
men  that  the  Enemy  so  barbarously  murthered  on  the 
10  of  August.  We  loaded  ourselves  with  choice 
turnips  and  then  returned  to  Fort  Edward.  At  our 
return  we  found  that  Capt.  Learned  was  come  out  of 
the  Small-Pox  Hospital  which  we  were  all  very  glad 
to  see. 

Sept.  19.  Two  Frenchmen  that  belonged  to  our 
Regt.  and  was  taken  at  Fort  Wm.  came  in  from 
Ticonderoga. 

Sept.  20.  Major  Rogers1  came  up  with  his  Rangers 
who  had  been  down  to  Halifax  all  the  summer  with 
my  Lord  Louden. 


1  Robert  Rogers,  born  Dumbarton,  N".  H.,  about  1730;  died  in 
England  about  1800.  During  the  French  war,  he  commanded 
with  great  credit  to  himself,  a  battalion  of  rangers  who  ren 
dered  excellent  service.  This  battalion  was  the  model  from 
which  Rufus  Putnam  organized  the  company  of  rangers  which 
so  effectively  protected  the  Ohio  Company  settlements  during 
the  Indian  war,  1791  to  1795.  In  1760  Major  Rogers  with  200 
men  took  possession  of  Detroit.  In  1766  he  was  appointed  by 
the  king,  governor  of  Michilimacinac.  He  was  accused  of 
plotting  to  sell  the  post  to  the  French  and  was  sent  in  irons  to 
Montreal  tried  by  court  martial  and  acquitted;  but  deprived 
of  his  office. 

Visited  England  in  1769,  was  imprisoned  for  debt;  when  re 
leased  he  returned  to  America  and,  shortly  after  the  out  break 


P  VTNAM8  JO  VENAL.  4  7 

Sept.  27.  Capt.  Learned  had  a  furlough  to  New 
England  for  the  recovery  of  his  health. 

October  ye  2.  A  Frenchman  taken  between  this 
Fort  and  the  Lake  by  some  Connecticut  men 
was  brought  in.  This  day  I  went  out  a  scout  for 
three  days  with  Sergt.  Martain  Sephorance1  of  Major 
Roger's  Company.  In  our  Scout  we  discovered  noth 
ing  remarkable.  We  steered  our  course  up  the  great 
River. 

Oct.  4.  We  returned  home  to  Fort  Edward.  The 
same  day  came  in  Lieut.  McCurda2  from  the  Narrows 


of  the  revolution,  was  arrested  by  General  Washington  as  a  spy. 
Released  upon  parole,  he  violated  it,  joined  the  British  army, 
was  commissioned  colonel  and  placed  in  command  of  the 
Queens  Ranger's.  He  saw  but  little  service,  and  about  1778, 
returned  to  England.  In  1778,  was  proscribed  and  banished 
by  the  State  of  New  Hampshire.  In  1765,  he  published  a 
journal  of  the  French  war,  which  was  republished  in  1769, 
with  an  account  of  Boquet's  expedition  against  the  Ohio  In 
dians.  He  also  published  the  tragedy  of  "  Ponteack."  His 
diary  of  the  siege  of  Detroit  was  published  in  1860. 

1  Probably    Sergeant    Martin  Severance.     Surgeon    Thomas 
Williams  in  a  letter  to  his  wife  Aug.  25th,  1756,  acknowledges 
receipt  of  one  from  her  by  hand  of  Sergeant  Severance  who  had 
been  on  a  scout. — See  Dawsorfs  Historical  Magazine  April, 
1870. 

2  Lieut.   McCurdy   of   Haverhill  was   an    officer  in    Captain 
Richard  Rogers'  company  of  Major  Robert  Rogers'  battalion 
of  rangers. 


48  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

and   brought   in  a  French    Prisoner   which    he   had 
taken  at  the  Narrows. 

Oct.  8.  Our  Ranging  Company  broke  up  and  we 
were  ordered  into  the  Regt.  to  do  Camp  duty. 

Oct.  10.  This  day  there  was  one  of  Col.  Ottaway's 
Regt.  that  was  taken  at  Fort  Wm  Hn  Came  into  this 
Forte  and  brought  news  that  there  was  a  Flag  of 
Truce  come  to  the  Half- Way  Brook,  with  six  Prisoners, 
and  that  they  sent  him  to  inform  the  General  and  to 
desire  him  to  send  a  guard  to  come  and  receive  them. 
The  same  day  went  a  guard  to  receive  them. 

Oct.  11.  I  went  on  the  main  guard  ;  and  the  guard 
that  was  sent  for  the  Prisoners  came  with  them. 

Oct.  14.   Went  on  command  to  Saratoga. 

Oct.  15.  Returned  home  to  Fort  Edward. 

Oct.  17.  I  went  to  work  on  the  Fort. 

Oct.  18.  I  went  on  the  main  guard. 

Oct.  20.  Two  Royal  Americans  hanged  for  Theft 
and  Desertions. 

Oct.  24.  There  was  a  man  found  dead  about  60 
Rods  from  the  Brick-Kilns. 

Monday  Oct.  25.  There  was  another  mau  found 
dead  at  the  Brick-kilns.  This  man  was  shot  through 
the  Body  with  two  Balls.  These  men  were  both 
Butchers,  and  went  out  after  their  sheep,  on  Sunday. 
There  were  three  went  out,  and  the  other  is  not  found 
yet. 

Oct.  30.   The  snow  fell  two  inches  deep. 


PUTNAM  '8  JO URNAL.  49 

Nov.  y'  7.  This  day  we  Launched  a  Scow  fifty  feet 
long  and  15  feet  wide.  This  day  His  Excellency, 
The  Rt.  Hon.  Earl  of  Louden1  and  Chief  General  of 
North  America,  came  to  Fort  Edward. 

Nov  9.  The  carpenters  were  all  dismissed  from  the 
king's  work  and  the  Fort  was  finished. 

Nov.  10.  This  morning  they  fired  a  Round  of 
Cannon  in  the  Fort  as  a  sign  of  finishing.  This  day 
my  Lord  Louden  went  off  for  Albany.  This  day  our 
Regt.  was  ordered  to  march  from  this  Fort  into  the 
Half  Moon.  We  marched  about  4  miles. 

Nov.  11.  We  marched  about  5  miles  below  Saratoga 
and  then  encamped. 

Nov.  12.  Marched  down  to  Still  water. 

Nov.  14.  We  marched  down  to  Half  moon. 

Nov.  17.  We  keep  this  day  as  Thanksgiving  day 
for  we  heard  that  it  was  so  in  our  Province. 

Nov.  18.  This  day  360  of  us  were  drafted  to  stay, 
and  the  rest  sent  home.  We  were  drafted  into  four 


1  Lord  London.  He  is  thus  described  in  official  documents: 
"  His  Excellency,  John,  Earl  of  London,  Lord  Machline  and 
Tairanfeen,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  one  of  the  sixteen  peers  of  Scotland, 
governor  and  captain  general  of  Virginia  and  vice  admiral  of 
the  same,  colonel  of  the  13th  regiment  of  foot,  colonel-in-chief 
of  the  Royal  American  Regiment,  major  general  and  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  all  his  majesty's  forces  raised  or  to  be  raised 
in  North  America."  Had  command  in  America  from  August, 
1756  till  March,  1758. 
7 


50  P  UTNAM'S  JO  UENAL. 

Companies  under  Capt.  Kerver,  Capt.  Nelson,  Capt. 
Cain,  Lieut.  Brown.  Capt.  Kerver's  Company  winter 
at  Halfmoon  ;  Nelson's  at  Sopas  ;  Cairn's  at  Schenec- 
tady  ;  Brown's  into  which  Lieut,  Walker  (went)  with 
Capt.  Learned's  Company,  to  winter  at  Stillwater. 

Nov.  26.  Lieut.  Brown  marched  our  Company  to 
Stillwater.  But  I  and  4  more  were  left  to  work  as 
carpenters  at  the  Half-Moon.  This  day  I  went  to 
work. 

Dec.  y*  15.  5  Frenchmen  brought  down  that  were 
taken  by  Major  Rogers'  men. 

Dec.  22.  We  were  ordered  down  to  Albany  to  Re 
ceive  our  Pay. 

Dec.  23.   Received  our  Pay. 

Dec.  24.   Returned  home  to  Half-moon. 

Dec.  29.  Returned  to  Stillwater,  with  the  rest  of 
the  Carpenters,  to  our  Company. 

Jan.  ye  1,  1758.  This  day  being  the  first  day  of  the 
year  &  the  first  day  of  the  week,  we  kept  it  with  joy, 
and  wished  for  Candlemas. 

Jan.  ye  5.  Capt,  Learned  came  up  to  his  Company, 
at  the  coming  of  whom  we  rejoiced  greatly. 

Feb.  1.  This  day  I  went  on  command  to  Saratoga, 
to  guard  cattle. 

Feb.  2.  This  day  we  returned  home  to  Stillwater, 
and  now  the  day  was  come  that  we  wished  for,  and 
the  most  happy  Candlemas  that  ever  I  see.  Quick 
after  our  return  we  were  all  ordered  into  the  Fort, 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL.  51 

when  Capt,  Skean1  read  a  part  of  a  letter  to  us,  that 
Major  General  Abercrombie  sent  to  him,  the  contents 
of  which  was  this.  You  are  hereby  required  to  per 
suade  the  Massachusetts  (men)  that  are  under  your 
care  to  tarry  a  few  days  longer,  till  I  shall  hear  from 


1  Philip  Skene  was  a  native  of  Halyards  in  Fifeshire,  Scotland, 
and  was  a  descendant  of  Sir  William  Wallace.  He  entered 
the  army  in  1739  and  was  with  the  expedition  against  Porta- 
bello;  in  1741  was  at  the  capture  of  Oarthegena;  in  1745  was 
in  the  battle  of  Fontenoy,  and  was  at  Oulloden  in  the  following 
year.  In  1747  he  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Laffeldt.  He 
came  to  America  in  1756.  In  1757  he  was  made  commander 
of  a  company  in  the  27th  or  Enniskillen  regiment.  He  was  in 
the  unsuccessful  attack  on  Ticonderoga,  1758.  In  the  cam 
paign  of  1759  he  was  appointed  by  Sir  Jeffry  Amherst  brigade 
major.  In  October  of  that  year  he  was  left  in  charge  of  Crown 
Point  and  encouraged  by  Amherst,  projected  a  settlement  at  the 
head  of  Lake  Champlain  and  established  some  thirty  families 
there.  In  1762  he  was  with  the  expedition  against  Martinique, 
Havana,  and  distinguished  himself  at  the  storming  of  Moro 
Castle.  He  returned  to  America  in  1763  and  renewed  his 
efforts  to  build  up  the  settlement  at  Lake  Champlain.  In 
1765  after  a  visit  to  England  he  obtained  from  the  king  a 
grant  of  a  township  of  land  including  the  settlement  he  had 
founded  and  which  he  called  Skenesborough.  His  regi 
ment  having  been  ordered  to  Ireland  he  exchanged  into  the 
10th  Foot  in  1768  to  remain  in  America.  In  1769  he  left  the 
army  and  settled  at  Skenesborough  (now  Whitehall).  He 
erected  here  forges  for  smelting  iron  and  large  saw  mills.  At 
the  outbreak  of  the  revolution  he  was  arrested  by  a  band  of 
Connecticut  volunteers  and  with  his  family  taken  to  Hartford. 
He  was  finally  exchanged  in  1776.  He  sailed  for  England  im- 


52  PUTNAM' 8  JOURNAL. 

their  government,  to  know  what  the  government  in 
tends  to  do  with  them.  To  these  orders,  there  was 
answer  made  by  some  of  our  Company,  that  they 
looked  upon  him  to  be  a  good  soldier,  that  tarried 
till  hie  time  was  out ;  and  that  the  Province  had 
no  business  to  detain  us  any  longer ;  neither  would 
we  be  detained  any  longer  by  any  power  that  they 
could  raise.  He  told  us  that  if  any  man  had  been 
duly  enlisted  into  His  Majesty's  service  and  should 
leave  the  same,  without  a  Regular  Discharge,  he  should 
Suffer  Death.  We  told  him  we  did  not  value  that, 
for  according  to  our  Enlistment,  neither  they  nor  the 
Province  could  hold  us  any  longer,  and  that  we  did 
not  break  the  Court  Act  by  going  off. 

Feb.  3.  About  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  we 
marched  for  Stillwater,  in  all  70  persons  with  about 
three  days  Provisions,  in  order  to  go  Hoosack  where 
we  expected  to  arrive  in  two  days.  We  all  marched 
on  snow  shoes  and  the  foremost  man  sunk  in  half 
leg  deep ;  about  the  tenth  man  had  good  travelling. 
We  marched  about  18  miles  this  day  and  then  en 
camped.  This  night  it  was  a  very  bad  Snow  storm. 


mediately  but  returned  with  Burgoyne  and  was  taken  prisoner 
with  his  army.  In  1779  his  property  was  confiscated  by  the 
Legislature  of  New  York.  After  the  war  he  came  to  America 
and  made  an  unsuccessful  effort  to  recover  his  property.  He 
returned  to  England  and  died  at  Addersey  Lodge  near  Stoke 
Goldington,  Bucks  in  1810. — See  Colonial  History  New  York 
Documents. 


PUTNAM'S  JO URNAL.  53 

Feb  4.  We  marched  up  the  river  to  Dutch  Hoosack 
when  we  missed  our  way  and  travelled  on  the  River 
called  Loonstock  (?)  River,  which  we  learn  since 
comes  down  within  about  10  miles  west  of  Hoosack 
Fort.  In  our  march  in  this  River  this  day  Capt. 
Learned1  killed  two  turkeys.  We  travelled  on  this 
River  till  night,  not  mistrusting  that  we  were  wrong, 
and  yet  wondered  that  we  did  not  arrive  at  Hoosack ; 
but  had  no  mistrust  that  we  were  on  the  wrong  River 
and  therefore  ate  plentifully  of  our  Provisions,  and  of 
the  Turkeys. 

Feb  5.  Set  out  early  in  the  morning  with  the  ex 
pectation  to  get  into  Hoosack  Fort  before  noon,  but 
missed  all  our  Expectations,  for  we  did  not  see  it  this 
night.  And  now  we  were  altogether  of  the  mind  that 
we  were  lost ;  but  yet  were  Resolved  to  be  Certain 
before  we  turned  our  course.  We  killed  another 
turkey  this  day  which  we  spared  for  necessity.  This 
night  our  provisions  was  chiefly  gone.  We  encamped 
this  night  with  sad  hearts  and  the  countenance  of 
every  man  shewed  he  was  perplexed  in  mind,  in  con 
sideration  that  the  turkey  was  the  chief  of  the  Pro- 


*In  his  Memoirs  General  Putnam  censures  Capt.  Learned  very 
severely  for  his  conduct  in  leaving  his  post  with  his  men  before 
they  were  regularly  discharged.  He  also  says  that  Capt. 
Learned  was  never  afterward  able  "  to  obtain  a  commission 
during  that  war."  The  History  of  the  town  of  Sutton  says 
that  Capt.  Learned  served  long  and  suffered  much  and  re 
turned  with  a  commission  of  major. 


54  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

vision  that  we  had.  The  weather  exceeding  cold  and 
stormy  and  the  snow  at  least  5  feet  deep.  And  John 
Kelly,  of  our  Company,  fell  into  the  River  this  day 
when  he  lost  one  of  his  snowshoes,  hy  reason  of  which 
he  suffered  very  much.  But  yet  we  had  some  hopes 
that  we  should  see  Hoosack  in  the  morning. 

Feb.  6.  We  marched  up  this  stream  till  about 
noon  and  then  we  came  to  where  the  stream  parted ; 
the  stream  yesterday  and  today  steered  about  North 
and  there  was  a  Branch  came  into  it  that  came  from 
the  East.  When  we  came  to  this  place  we  found  that 
we  were  lost,  but  yet  for  our  Satisfaction  the  Capt. 
followed  up  the  North  Stream  about  4  miles  till  we 
found  we  were  on  the  wrong  Stream  and  then  turned 
Back  and  came  to  the  Parting  of  the  Streams ;  when 
the  Capt.  called  all  the  men  together,  to  know  what 
they  would  do.  There  was  in  No.  70  men.  The 
substance  of  what  the  Capt.  sd.  was  this  :  That  it 
evidently  appeared  that  we  were  on  the  wrong  stream ; 
and  that  we  were  at  least,  30  miles  north  of  Hoosack  ; 
and  as  for  provisions,  we  had  but  little,  but  sd  he 
don't  be  discouraged ;  for,  my  life  on  it  sd  he,  if  the 
men  hold  out  to  travel  four  or  five  days  if  I  don't 
bring  you  to  see  the  Inhabitants  of  New  England. 
But  said  he,  if  any  man  has  a  mind  to  go  back  to 
Still  water,  he  may  in  welcome  ;  for  my  part  said  he, 
I  will  die  in  the  woods  before  I  will  go  back.  They 
all  cried  out,  that  they  would  die  with  him.  So  after 
refreshing  ourselves  a  little  we  marched  oft  a  South 


PUTNAM '8  JO URNAL.  55 

East  Point  and  traveled  up  several  Mountains,  and 
about  Sundown  we  came  upon  the  top  of  a  very  large 
mountain,  which  seemed  to  be  the  height  of  land, 
and  now  we  were  satisfied  whereabouts  we  were.  We 
judged  ourselves  to  be  30  miles  northeast  of  Hoosack. 
The  weather  was  exceeding  cold,  and  the  snow  five 
feet  deep  and  the  provisions  very  short. 

Feb.  1.  This  morning  thirty  of  us  made  a  good 
Breakfast  of  a  small  poor  turkey  without  salt 
or  bread;  and  now  our  provision  was  gone.  In 
about  5  miles  from  where  we  Lodged,  we  came  upon 
a  Small  Stream  descending  toward  the  South  East, 
at  the  seeing  of  which  we  were  all  very  much  re 
joiced  ;  there  seemed  to  be  a  smiling  countenance 
on  all  the  Company,  to  think  that  we  were  got  on  the 
Borders  of  New  England.  And  on  our  way  down  this 
stream,  there  were  several  small  streams  come  into  it, 
so  that  it  got  to  be  a  large  River.  This  night  we 
camped  but  felt  exceeding  faint  for  want  of  victuals, 
but  yet  our  Courage  held  out.  At  present  Courage 
was  the  only  thing  we  had  to  support  us,  except  it 
was  Beech  buds  and  some  high  swamp  Cranberries. 

Feb.  8.  This  day  we  had  exceeding  bad  travelling 
all  day,  and  the  River  turned  contrary  to  our  expecta 
tions  ;  so  that  we  had  but  little  hopes  of  getting  into 
any  Post  these  some  days.  It  was  now  exceeding 
stormy  weather  and  heavy  travelling,  only  on  the 
River  when  the  Ice  would  bear;  and  had  we  not  had 


5g  P  UTNAM'S  JO  URNAL. 

some  relief  by  that  means,  we  had  all  perished  in  the 
woods.  About  Sundown  we  came  to  camp  and  being 
exceeding  faint,  living  without  victuals  some  days 
and  we  having  a  large  dog  with  us  we  killed  him  and 
divided  him  among  70  men,  giving  every  man  his 
equal  share.  None  can  tell  what  a  sweet  morsel  this 
dog's  guts  and  feet  were  but  those  that  eat  them  as  I 
did  the  feet  and  the  riddings  of  the  guts. 

Feb.  9.  This  day  we  had  better  travelling  on  the 
River  and  it  seemed  to  steer  the  way  we  wanted,  and 
about  noon  we  came  to  where  some  trees  were  cut  for 
shingles,  and  at  night  we  came  to  where  one  of  our 
men  knew  the  ground,  and  told  the  Capt.  we  were 
within  three  miles  of  Hawk's  Fort,  on  the  Charle- 
mont ;  notwithstanding  the  Capt.  would  not  go  on 
because  a  great  part  of  the  men  had  froze  their  feet, 
and  were  at  least  two  miles  behind.  But  we  went  to 
Camping,  and  the  Capt.  and  James  Call,  who  knew 
the  ground  went  down  the  river  about  a  mile  till  the 
Capt.  was  Satisfied  the  man  knew  as  much  as  he  pre 
tended,  and  then  sent  him  on,  and  ordered  him  to 
have  a  breakfast  prepared  in  the  morning;  after 
which  the  Capt.  returned  back  to  us  by  which  time 
those  lame  men  came  up,  and  as  the  Capt.  came 
up  to  us,  we  were  all  very  zealous  to  hear  what 
news  ?  But  we  soon  learned  by  the  Captain's  count 
enance,  before  he  got  within  some  rods  of  us  and 
as  the  Capt.  come  up  to  us,  he  said.  Eat  what  you 


PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL.  57 

you  have  to  eat  this  night ;  for  the  promised  land  is 
just  by.  Some  were  for  going  on  this  night,  but  the 
Capt.  told  them  ;  No,  by  no  means,  for  it  would 
hazard  the  lives  of  a  great  many.  The  news  that  the 
Capt.  brought  raised  the  Spirits  of  all  the  men,  so  that 
those  whose  Countenance  looked  sad,  were  brought  to 
a  very  smiling  Complection. 

Feb.  10.  This  morning  we  set  out  on  our  march, 
and  about  one  mile  from  where  we  camped,  we  saw 
three  men  a-coming  up  the  River  which  we  were  glad 
to  see,  and  when  they  come  to  us,  we  found  that  one 
of  them  was  the  man  we  sent  on  the  night  before  and 
he  brought  out  some  bread  and  meat  boiled ;  which 
we  reed,  very  Kindly,  and  about  ten  o'clock  we  came 
into  Hawk's  Fort  on  Charlemont,  where  we  Re 
freshed  ourselves  until  a.bout  noon  ;  after  which  we 
marched  to  Rice's  Fort  about  one  mile,  where  twenty 
of  us  stayed,  all  which  were  lame  by  reason  of  their 
feet  being  froze  on  our  march  except  Samuel  Dexter.1 
Lemuel  Cobb,  and  myself.  Through  all  this  march  I 
brought  Ichabod  Dexter's  pack,  because  he  froze  his 
feet  before  we. set  out  from  Stillwater,  and  I  tarried 
to  help  him  along  further.2 


1  Samuel  Dexter  and  Ichabod  Dexter  were  from  Hardwick, 
both  commissioned  officers  in  Revolutionary  war,  both  were 
engaged  in  Shay's  rebellion,   1786,  and  were  pardoned. — See 
Paige's  Hist.  Hardwick. 

2  See  letter  in  Appendix. 


58  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

Feb.  11.  The  20  of  us  that  were  left  behind  marched 
down  to  Galon's  Fort  about  6  mile. 
Feb.  12.  Marched  to  Deerfield. 
Feb.  13.  Marched  to  Hadley. 
Feb.  14.  Marched  to  Greenwich. 
Feb.  15.  Home  to  Brookfield. 

RUFUS  PUTNAM. 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL, 

1758. 


journal,  17  SB. 


[UFUS  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL  for  the  Second  Cam 
paign  which  he  undertook,  being  in  the 
year  1758. 

April  10,  1758.  Then  enlisted  myself  into  a  Pro 
vincial  Regt.  of  whom  Timothy  Haggles  Esq.  is  Col., 
and  in  Capt.  Joseph  Whitcomb's  Company. 

April  14.  Passed  muster  at  Hardwick  before  Col. 
Ruggles. 

April  15.  Returned  to  Sutton  where  I  now  made 
my  home ;  but  I  went  into  the  service  this  year  for 
the  town  of  Hardwick. 

May  20.  Received  orders  to  meet  the  Comp'y  at 
Brookfield  on  the  23.— 23d,  Met  the  Comp'y  at  Brook- 
field. 

May  25.  Marched  from  Brookfield. 

May  27.  Arrived  at  Northampton,  where  we  were 
billeted  out  till  further  orders. 

June  3.  Marched  from  Northampton  in  order  for 
Pantoosuck.  This  day  marched  about  ten  miles,  and 


g2  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

this  night  there  were  some  of  Capt.  Nixon's1  men  a 
falling  some  trees,  to  build  their  camps,  fell  a  tree 
onto  some  men  as  they  were  in  another  camp,  and 
wounded  three  of  them.  One  of  the  men  that  was 
wounded,  his  life  is  despaired  of. 

June  6.  We  arrived  at  Pantoosuck  and  drew  stores 
of  bread  and  marched  about  six  miles  to  the  other 
Fort;  from  thence  about  one  mile  and  then  Camped. 

June  8.  Arrived  at  Greenbush,  where  we  heard 
that  General  Abercrombie2  marched  his  Troops  from 
Albany  yesterday. 


1  Capt.  John  Nixon  was  borii  at  Framiugham,  Mass.,  March 
4th,  1725.      He  was  at  the  siege  of  Louisburg  in  1745.      He 
served  as  captain  during  the  French  war  and  was  esteemed  a 
valiant  soldier.     He  was  made  colonel  of  a  Massachusetts  regi 
ment  at  the  outbreak  of  the  revolution  and  brigadier  general 
in  the  continental  line  in  August,  1776.      Resigned  on  account 
of   ill    health  in   1780.       Died   March    24th,   1815.—  Losswg's 
Field  Book  of  the  Revolution. 

2  James  Abercrombie,  born  in  Scotland,  1706;  died  deputy 
governor  of  Stirling  Castle,  April  28th,  1781 ;  colonel  in  British 
army,  1746;  major  general,  1756;  lieut.  general,  1759;  general, 
1772.       Had  chief  command  of  royal  forces  in  America  from 
1756  until  1759,  except  during  the  stay  of  Lord  Loudon.    Was 
superceded  by  Amherst,  Sept.    30th,   1758.      Displayed    very 
little  capacity  in  command  of  troops.      The  disaster  of  Ticon- 
deroga  in  1758  was  generally  attributed  to  his  incompetence. 
He  was  a  member  of  parliament  after  his  return  to  England  in 
1759  and   supported  the  acts,  the  passage  of  which  resulted  in 
the  revolt  of  the  colonies. — Drake. 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL.  53 

June  9.  Marched  to  Albany  Flats. 

June  ye  12.  A  return  was  made  of  all  the  Car 
penters  in  Col.  Haggle's  Regt.  and  all,  being  about 
Eighty,  were  sent  off  under  the  Command  of  Lieut 
Pool;  in  order  to  go  to  Fort  Miller,  marched  this 
day  to  Half  Moon. 

June  13.  Marched  to  Still  water  and  from  thence 
by  water  to  Saratoga. 

June  14.  Marched  to  Fort  Miller. 

June  15.  Went  to  work  at  Fort  Miller. 

June  16.  Thirty  of  us  marched  to  Fort  Edward, 
under  the  command  of  Lieut.  Hall. 

June  17.  Went  to  work  on  the  Island  at  the  King's 
Hospitals  and  worked  there  till  June  21. 

June  21.  Received  ten  days  provisions  and  marched 
to  Halfway  Brook. 

June  22.  Marched  to  the  Lake  and  was  there  em 
ployed  in  building  two  Picket  Forts,  in  building  float 
ing  batteries,  and  in  fixing  the  boats.  June  18  was 
the  first  that  any  forces  came  to  the  Lake. 

June  26.  General  Abercrombie  came  to  the  Lake. 
Forces  came  on  now  very  fast. 

June  28.  Col.  Ruggle's  Regt.  came  to  the  Lake. 
Every  thing  here  seems  to  carry  the  face  of  war  on  it. 
Ammunitions,  Provisions  and  Artillery  &c  loading  con 
tinually  into  the  bateaux  in  order  for  Ticonderoga. 

July  ye  1.  Camp  at  Lake  George.  The  orders  of 
this  day;  Parole,  Hartford;  Brigd  Gen'l  for  the 


64  PUTNAM'S  JO  UENAL. 

day,  tomorrow  Lord  How ;  Col.  for  the  day  to 
morrow,  Col.  Donaldson  ;  Field  Officer  of  the  Picket 
this  night,  Major  Eyre;1  for  the  Provincials,  Major 
Hunt;  Brigd  Maj.  Money-penny.2  The  Provincial 
Troops  to  be  victualed  to  the  sixth  of  July  inclusive 
when  they  next  receive.  Any  soldier  found  gaming 
to  be  immediately  confined,  &  they  will  Receive  300 
Lashes.  The  Provost  to  go  his  Rounds  every  day. 
He  is  to  see  that  the  Camp  be  kept  clean,  and  all  filth 
buried  ;  he  is  to  apply  to  the  nearest  Regt.  for  men 
for  that  purpose ;  and  to  report  all  extraordinary. 

1  William    Eyre  was   promoted    to   be   major   in    the    44th 
Foot,   7th  January,    1756  ;  in  which  year  he  built  Fort  Wil 
liam  Henry,  at  the  head  of  Lake   George;  in   January,    1758, 
was  commissioned  engineer  in  ordinary,  and  on  the  17th  July 
following  was  advanced  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel  in  the 
army,  and  next  of  the  55th  regiment;  in   July,  1759,   during 
Amherst's  campaign,  he  was  appointed   chief  engineer  to  the 
army,  and   soon   after  laid  out  the   ground  for  a  new  fort   at 
Ticonderoga.     In  October,  1759,  he  became  lieutenant  colonel 
of    his    old  regiment,  the  44th  ;  accompanied    Amherst  from 
Oswego  to  Montreal  in  1760,  and   remained  in  America  until 
1764,  in  the  fall  of  which  year  he  was  unfortunately  drowned, 
in  the  prime  of  his  life,  on  his  passage  to  Ireland." — New  York 
Colonial  History,  vol.  x,  p.  729. 

2  Alexander  Moneypenny,  appointed  captain  Aug.  29,  1756, 
assigned   to  55th  Foot  in  Feb.,  1757  and  sailed  to  America  in 
the  expedition  with  Lord  Loudon.     He  was  one  of  the  brigade 
majors  in  this  and  the  succeeding  campaign.     Was  major  27th 
Foot  in  1760  ;  lieut.  col.  56th  in  1762.       Died  or  resigned  his 
commission  in  1776. 


PUTNAM' 8  JO URNAL.  55 

The  Kegt.  to  give  a  Return  of  their  sick  to  be  sent  to 
Fort  Edward  at  four  o'clock  this  afternoon.  Advance 
to  apply  to  the  Qrs  Master  Genl.  for  carriages ;  the 
commanding  officer  of  each  Regt.  to  be  answerable 
that  they  have  no  more  Battoes  than  what  is  allowed 
them  in  the  orders ;  what  they  have  over  to  be  im 
mediately  returned.  The  Regiments  to  Report  to  the 
Brigd.  Maj.  as  soon  as  the  Battoes  are  finished,  and 
ready  to  load.  They  are  then  to  dismiss  the  Corkers 
with  a  non-commissioned  officer  to  Col.  Bradstreet. 
The  Regulars  and  Provincials  to  give  in  their  return 
immediately  to  the  Brigd.  Maj.  of  what  ammunition 
is  wanting  to  complete  every  man  with  36  Rounds 
per  man.  A  guard  of  one  subaltern  and  20  privates 
to  mount  immediately  at  the  Artillery  Boats.  Capt. 
Ord1  will  give  the  Officer  his  directions.  The  battoes 


1  Thomas  Ord  was  appointed  captain  in  the  royal  artillery 
on  1st  March,  1746.  He  was  an  excellent  officer,  and  stood 
high  in  the  Duke  of  Cumberland's  esteem,  by  whom  he  was 
selected  to  command  the  artillery  in  the  expedition  under 
Braddock.  Landing  in  Newfoundland,  he  hastened  to  New 
York,  and  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  7th  June,  1755,  whence  he 
proceeded  for  the  seat  of  war  accompanied  by  13  non-com 
missioned  officers  (Sargent's  Expedition  of  Braddock,  364). 
In  1759  he  was  major  and  accompanied  Amherst  in  the  expe 
dition  up  the  lakes,  after  which  he  was  promoted  to  be  lieu 
tenant  colonel  on  the  21st  November,  same  year.  On  the  1st 
January,  1771,  he  became  colonel  commandant  of  the  4th 
battalion  of  the  royal  artillery  serving  in  America,  and  died  in 
9 


66  PUTNAM' 8  JOURNAL. 

men  (to)  make  no  fire  between  their  tents  and  the 
Lake  where  the  Artillery  Boats  lie.  Capt.  Shepherds 
Company  to  fire  Pieces  this  afternoon,  between  3  &  5 
o'clock ;  the  Regiments  may  try  their  Rifles  at  the 
same  time. 

July  2.  The  orders  given  yesterday  were  complied 
with. 

July  3.  Every  man  ordered  to  be  ready  to  embark 
on  the  5th  at  the  Drums  Beating  and  to  boil  all  our 
provisions  before  we  set  out ;  which  were  taken  until 
the  ninth  day. 

July  4.  All  preparations  (made)  for  embarking  to 
morrow.  All  ordered  to  put  our  heaviest  Baggage  on 
Board  this  night. 

July  5.  According  to  the  orders  heretofore  given, 
the  whole  Army  embarked  for  Ticonderoga,  under 
the  command  of  Maj.  Gen.  Abercrombie1  and  there 


1777.  Col.  Ord  received  a  grant  of  500  acres  of  land  in  New- 
comb,  Essex  Co.,  New  York,  for  his  service  in  America. — Col. 
Hist.  New  York,  Documents,  vol.  vm,  p.  529. 

1  In  his  Memoirs  General  Putnam  says  of  the  officers  in 
command  : 

"  General  Abercrombie  was  an  old  man  and  frequently  called 
granny. 

"Lord  Howe  was  the  idol  of  the  army;  in  him  they  placed 
the  utmost  confidence. 

*****  General  Gage  was  a  man  who  never  acquired  a 
high  reputation,  and  the  furious  Bradstreet  was  hated  by  all 
the  army." 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL.  57 

were  in  all  24  Regiments ;  but  in  them  but  17000 
according  to  the  account  that  we  had  from  the  Adju 
tant  Geril.  The  embarkation  was  completed  by  seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning  and  all  rowed  to  a  place  called 
Sabbath  Day  Point,  when  we  arrived  about  dark,  and 
all  went  on  shore  and  refreshed  ourselves.  After 
which  we  set  out  and  Rowed  all  night. 

July  6.  And  in  the  morning  we  arrived  to  a  place 
within  about  4  miles  of  the  French  advance  guard.1 
When  we  came  in  sight  of  the  Enemy  at  the  advance 
guard,  (they)  were  wonderfully  surprised  to  see  so 
many  men  a-coming  in  Battoes,  and  immediately  fled 
so  that  we  had  no  chance  at  them  there.  Col.  Dotey 
and  the  Battoe  men  went  in  the  front  in  whale  boats, 
and  landed  first ;  but  were  soon  seconded  by  Troops  of 
all  sorts.  Col.  Ruggles  Regiment  landed  the  nearest 
of  any  to  the  Enemy,  and  in  fair  sight  of  their  en 
campment.  At  this  place  Major  Rogers  killed  one 
Frenchman  and  that  was  all.  The  Enemy  left  a  con 
siderable  of  valuable  Baggage,  which  our  men  plun 
dered.  Part  of  our  People  had  a  smart  skirmish  with 


1  "  The  French  guard  ran  at  our  appearance.  Major  Roger's 
Rangers  came  up  with  part  of  the  French  guard,  killed  7  of 
them,  lost  2  of  our  men.  In  the  afternoon  engaged  the  French, 
took  180  of  them  prisoners  and  killed  110  more.  Lord  Howe 
was  killed  in  the  battle  and  about  60  of  our  men  a-missing." 

Journal  of  an  officer  (name  unknown)  in  Col.  Preble's  regi 
ment. — Dawsorfs  Historical  Magazine,  August,  1871, 


gg  PUTNAM1 8  JOURNAL. 

the  Enemy,  down  the  Lake,  in  which  skirmish  we 
lost  but  few  men,  but  among  them  a  Brave  and  Bold 
Commander,  that  worthy  man,  my  Lord  Howe,1  who 
is  lamented  by  us  all,  and  whose  Death  calls  for  our 
Revenge.  There  were  a  great  many  of  the  enemy 
killed  that  day,  and  one  hundred  and  odd  taken 
Prisoners. 

July  7.  The  chief  of  the  Army  inarch  down  to  the 
Saw-Mills,  and  some  Field  Pieces.  Our  chief  employ 

1  George  Augustus  Howe,  Lord  Viscount,  was  born  in 
1724.  He  was  commmissioned  colonel  of  the  Royal  Amer 
ican  or  60th  regiment,  in  1*75 7  and  ordered  to  America.  In 
September,  1757,  he  was  appointed  colonel  of  the  55th  Foot 
and  brigadier  general  in  America.  The  failure  of  the  expe 
dition  against  Ticonderoga  was  by  many  attributed  to  his 
death.  Rogers'  Journal  (page  103)  gives  this  account  of  it. 
"My  Lord  Howe,  with  a  detachment  from  his  front,  had  broke 
the  enemy  and  hemmed  them  in  on  every  side;  but  advancing 
himself  with  great  eagerness  and  intrepidity  upon  them,  was 
unfortunately  shot  and  died  immediately."  A  foot  note,  same 
page,  adds:  "This  noble  and  brave  officer,  being  universally 
beloved  by  both  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  army,  his  fall  was 
not  only  most  sincerely  lamented,  but  seemed  to  produce  an 
almost  general  consternation  and  languor  through  the  army." 

"  The  greatness  of  mind,  inimitable  activity  and  masterly 
skill  in  military  command  of  this  truly  great  officer  (Lord 
Howe)  was  known,  was  felt  by  the  whole  army,  and  his  death 
was  as  sensibly  felt."—  Sermon  on  ''  Total  reduction  of  Canada" 
Rev.  Eli  Forbes,  Brookfield,  Mass. 

The  date  of  Lord  Howe's  death  is  sometimes  incorrectly  given 
July  5th.  He  was  with  the  battalion  of  rangers  commanded 
by  Israel  Putnam  when  killed. 


PUTNAM'S  JOUENAL.  59 

was  in  fixing  for  an  engagement  the  next  day. 
Nothing  at  ail  appeared  of  any  discouragement,  but 
everything  seemed  to  carry  success  with  it.  This 
night  General  Johnson1  came  down  with  his  Indians,2 
to  us.3 

July  8.  All  preparations  for  marching  down  to  en 
gage  the  Enemy  at  the  Breast-work  which  we  found 
was  chiefly  finished.  About  11  o'clock  our  men 
marched  down  to  the  Battle.  There  were  also  some 
Field  pieces  went  down  the  River  toward  the  Fort,  on 
Floating  Batteries  which  our  men  builded  below  the 
Falls.  How  far  these  Field  Pieces  went,  I  am  not  able 
to  say.  Col.  Lyman's  and  Col.  Ruggles'  Regiments  were 


1  Sir  William  Johnson,  Baronet,  born  in  Ireland  about  1714. 
At  the  age  of  20  came  to  America  to  oversee  the  estate  of  his 
uncle,  Sir  Peter  Warren.     He  settled  in  Mohawk,  among  the 
Indians,  acquired  their  language  and  soon  obtained  a  remark 
able  influence  over  them.     In  the  French  war,  1755-65  he  was 
major  general  of  the  New  York  militia  and  brought  into  service 
for  the  English,  one  thousand  Indians.     He  died  in  1774. 

2  "  By  sunrise  next  morning  (July  8th)  Sir  William  Johnson 
joined    the    army    with    four   hundred    and   fifty   Indians."— 
Rogers  Journal,  p.  103. 

3  Humphrey's  life  of  Israel  Putnam  says  that  on  the  morning 
of  July  7th,  Major  Rogers  was  sent  to  reconnoitre  the  field 
where  Lord   Howe  was  killed  "  and  bring  off   the  wounded 
prisoners;  but,  finding  the  wounded  unable  to  help  themselves, 
in  order  to  save  trouble,  he  dispatched  every  one  of  them  to 
the  world  of  spirits." 


70  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

left  at  the  Mills  as  a  Rear  guard,  and  to  build  a  Breast 
work  in,  or  for  Defence  if  the  Enemy  attacked  us  in 
the  Rear.  There  was  a  party  of  Col.  Ruggles'  Regi 
ment  sent  down  under  the  Command  of  Lieut.  Wil 
liams,  to  carry  powder  and  about  3  o'clock  Col. 
Lyrnan's  Regiment  was  called  off  to  the  Battle. 
About  Sun  an  Hour  high,  there  was  another  Party 
sent  down  to  carry  powder,  under  the  command  of 
Ensign  Brown,  among  whom  I  was.  When  I  came 
to  the  Army  they  were  Retreated  into  a  Breast-work 
that  Col.  Williams'1  men  had  builded.  I  was  very 


1  William  Williams,  born  in  Western  Mass  ,  1711 ;  graduated 
at  Harvard  College,  1729;  studied  medicine,  but  soon  aban 
doned  the  practice  and  established  himself  as  a  merchant  in 
Boston.  Failed  in  business  in  1740;  was  commissioned  en 
sign  and  took  part  in  the  unsuccessful  expedition  against  St. 
Augustine. 

With  the  same  rank  in  the  following  year  he  was  in  the  ex 
pedition  ajpiinst  Carthagena  led  by  Admiral  Vernon.  He 
returned  to  Massachusetts  in  1  743,  and  in  1744  received  a  com 
mission  in  Stoddard's  regiment  of  Hampshire  militia  and  was 
detailed  to  construct  the  line  of  forts  between  the  Connecticut 
and  Hudson  rivers.  While  this  work  was  in  progress  he  was 
promoted  major.  In  1745  he  was  commissioned  lieut.  colonel 
of  the  8th  Massachusetts  regiment  and  sailed  for  Cape  Breton 
June  23d.  Louisburg  capitulated  before  his  arrival,  but  the 
regiment  garrisoned  the  place  till  the  spring  of  1746.  In  1747 
Col.  Williams  was  detached  as  quartermaster  and  continued 
in  that  capacity  till  the  close  of  the  war  in  1748.  He  settled 
in  Pontoosuck  (now  Pittsfield)  in  1753  and  there  built  Fort 
Anson  for  protection  against  t  ie  Indians.  In  1755  he  was 


PUTNAM '£  JO URNAL.  7J 

much  amazed  to  see  so  many  of  our  men  killed  and 
wounded.  The  path  all  the  way  was  full  of  wounded 
men.  I  was  much  amazed  to  see  the  floating  Batteries 
Rowing  back,  the  meaning  of  which,  I  could  not  tell. 
I  came  to  the  Regiment  where  I  found  them  employed 
as  before.  The  most  of  the  Troops  retreated  into  the 
Breast  (-work)  which  we  had  builded.  After  proper 
guards  were  posted,  we  were  ordered  to  refresh  our 
selves,  which  we  accordingly  did,  and  then  camped. 
About  midnight  we  were  all  mustered  and  ordered  to 
march — where  ;  we  knew  not ;  but  concluded  we  were 


appointed  captain  in  the  regiment  commanded  by  Sir  William 
Pepperell.  He  served  with  the  rank  of  captain  three  cam 
paigns;  further  promotion  being  prevented  by  a  personal  diffi 
culty  with  Sir  Win.  Johnson.  In  1758  he  was  commissioned 
colonel  by  Governor  Pownal  and  commanded  a  regiment  in 
the  campaign  against  Ticonderoga.  With  this  campaign,  his 
military  career  ended.  In  1759  he  was  chosen  u  Proprietor's 
clerk  "  of  the  town  of  Pontoosuck  and  continued  many  years 
in  that  office.  He  was  representative  to  the  General  Court  in 
1762,  1764,  1769,  1770.  In  1774  he  was  chief  justice  of  the 
Common  Pleas  and  judge  of  the  Probate  for  Berkshire.  He 
was  slow  to  join  in  the  revolt  of  the  colonies,  but  after  the 
revolution  was  fairly  under  way  became  an  ardent  patriot.  In 
1779  he  was  chosen  delegate  to  the  Massachusetts  Constitu 
tional  Convention  and  took  an  active  part  in  its  deliberations. 
He  died  in  1785.  Major  Stoddard  summed  up  his  married  life 
thus:  "He  married,  first  Miriam  Taylor  for  good  sense,  and 
got  it;  secondly,  Miss  Wells  for  love  and  beauty  and  had  it; 
thirdly,  Aunt  Hannah  Dickerson  and  got  horribly  cheated." — 
See  Smith's  History  of  Pittsfield. 


72  PUTNAM  '8  JO  URNAL 

a-going  to  take  Post  on  the  hill  East  of  Ticonderoga  ; 
but  it  proved  otherwise,  for  we  marched  directly  to 
the  advance  guard  where  our  battoes  lay.1 

July  9.  About  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  all 
went  on  Board  our  Battoes  and  set  out  for  the  place 
where  Fort  Wm.  Henry  stood,  and  arrived  about  Sun 
down. 

During  our  stay  at  the  Lake,  after  our  Return  from 
Fort  Ticonderoga  we  were  employed  in  almost  every 
thing,  in  the  building  of  Breast-works  —  and  moving 
of  our  encampment  from  one  place  to  another  —  had 
hardly  time  to  pitch  in  one  place  before  we  were 
ordered  to  remove  and  pitch  in  another ;  and  no  body, 
to  see  us,  would  be  able  to  tell  what  we  were  about. 

July  20.  Near  the  Half-way  Brook,  was  Killed  by 
a  party  of  Indians,  Capt.  Sam'l  Dakin  of  Sudborough, 
Capt.  Lawrence  of  Groton,  Capt.  Johns  of  Wilmington, 
Lieut.  Curtis  of  Sudbury,  Lieut.  Godfrey  of  Billerica, 


1  Speaking  of  this  campaign  in  his  Mss.  Memoirs,  General 
Putnam  says:  "I  have  heard  that  some  men  should  say  they 
loved  to  fight  as  well  as  to  eat.  I  never  had  any  such  feelings. 
So  far  as  I  am  able  to  judge  of  myself,  it  was  pride  and  a  wish 
to  excel,  or,  at  least,  to  come  behind  none,  which  influenced 
me,  at  that  period  of  my  life,  to  be  among  the  foremost  on  all 
occasions  that  offered."  He  also  criticises  the  assault  as  fol 
lows  : 

"  When  I  subsequently  became  acquainted  with  the  strength 
of  the  works  and  the  mode  of  attack,  I  considered  it  the  most 
injudicious  and  wanton  sacrifice  of  men  that  ever  came  within 
my  knowledge  or  reading." 


P  UTNAM'S  JO  URNAL.  73 

Ensign  Davis  of  Andover,  two  Sergeants,  one  Cor 
poral  and  ten  men,  and  five  missing. 

July  22.  Col.  Haggles'  Regiment  marched  to  Fort 
Edward. 

July  23.  Marched  down  about  4  miles  and  then  en 
camped  and  went  to  mending  the  Roads. 

July  25.  Two  Hundred  of  the  Light  Infantry 
marched  down  by  our  encampment  to  Stillwater. 

July  28.  Marched  down  within  about  three  miles 
of  Saratoga  to  a  place  called  Lord  Howe's  Encamp 
ment.  Received  news  that  yesterday  there  was  a 
party  of  Indians  fell  on  some  teams  that  were  going 
from  Fort  Edward  to  Half-way  Brook,  where  they 
killed  25  men  and  thirty-eight  Teams. 

August  ye  7.  This  day  moved  our  camp  three  miles 
below  Saratoga. 

Do  12.  Moved  three  miles  down  the  River. 

Do  17.  Marched  down  to  the  Half-Moon,  and  there 
went  to  our  old  post,  of  mending  the  Road. 

Do  27.  Being  Sabbath  Day,  we  were  very  unex 
pectedly,  allowed  to  Rest ;  and  it  was  the  only  Sabbath 
that  we  were  allowed  to  Rest  since  we  came  from 
home.1 


1  The  journal  of  an  officer  of  Col.  Preble's  regiment,  this  day, 

reads:  "I   did   not  work   this  day.      Went  to  meeting.      Mr. 

Cleveland  preached  two  sermons  from  146th  Psalm,  5  verse."  He 

had  previously  complained  of  being  compelled  to  work  Sundays. 

10 


74  PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL. 

Do  28.  Moved  our  camp  up  the  River  about  5 
miles  to  Half-way  house. 

September  ye  5.  Moved  our  Camp  up  the  River  to 
Capt.  Samson's,  which  was  about  3  miles. 

Do  14.  Capt.  Cox1  marched  his  Company  to  Low- 
den's  Ferry,  joined  by  Capt.  Billings  and  six  Car 
penters,  to  work  on  the  Roads  from  thence  to  Albany. 

Do  20.  Capt.  Read's  Company  with  the  rest  of  the 
Carpenters  marched  up  to  the  Great  Fly,  about  5 
miles  above  Still- Water. 

Do  25.  The  Regiment  marched  down  to  Half  Moon 
to  mend  the  Roads  from  thence  to  Albany.  Capt. 
Whitcombs  Company  tarried  behind  to  repair  the 
Roads  that  we  had  mended  before. 

Do  29.  Our  Company  marched  to  Lowden's  Ferry, 
where  we  went  to  work  as  usual. 

October  ye  4:th.  His  Excellency  Gen'l  Amherst2  went 
up  by  our  Camp  to  the  Lake. 


1  Capt.  Ebenezer  Cox  of  Wreiitham.    He  commanded  a  com. 
pany  in  each  of  the  campaigns  of  1758,   1759,   1760  and   1761. 
In   1762   removed  to  Hard  wick  and  commanded  a   company 
mainly  from  Hard  wick  in  that  year.     He  had  probably  served 
previous  to  1758,  for  his  tombstone  declares  that  he 

"In  six  campaigns  intrepid  trod  ye  field 
Nor  to  ye  Gallic  power  would  ever  yield." 

He  died  March   2d,    1768,   aged   42. — See  Paige's  History 
Hardwick* 

2  Jeffrey  Amherst,  baron,  born  Kent,  England,  Jan.  21),  1717; 
died  Aug.  3d,   1797.      Entered  British  army  as  ensign  at  the 


PUTNAM' 8  JO  UENAL.  75 

Do  8.  We  joined  our  Regiment  at  the  Half-Moon 
and  marched  from  thence  to  the  Great  Fly  above 
Stillwater. 

Do  13.  Capt.  Robeson,1  with  a  detachment  of  Subal 
terns,  5  sergeants,  15  Corporals,  88  privates,  marched 
up  to  the  first  Camp  we  made  below  Fort  Edward, 
when  we  came  from  Lake  George  —  where  we  went 
to  repairing  the  Roads  as  usual. 

Do  14.  The  Indians  killed  and  took  three  men  at 
Saratoga  and  another  was  drowned  as  he  was  en 
deavoring  to  swim  over  the  River.  A  party  of 
men  marched  with  us,  consisting  of  50,  to  Saratoga 
Meadows  for  the  same  purpose. 

Do  16.  A  great  No.  of  Invalids  was  sent  home  from 
the  Lake,  and  this  day  marched  by  our  Camp. 

Do  18.  Col.  Bradstreet's2  Battoe  men  marched  down 


age  of  14.  Was  at  Fontenoy  as  aide  to  Lord  Ligonier.  Ap 
pointed  major  general  in  1756.  Appointed  commander-in  chief 
of  the  royal  forces  in  America,  Sept.  30th,  1758,  vice  Aber- 
crombie.  Governor  of  Virginia,  1763;  of  Guernsey  in  1771; 
commander-in-chief  of  British  army,  1778  to  1795,  field 
marshal,  1796.  He  was  "  a  sagacious,  humane  and  experienced 
commander." — See  Drake's  Dictionary  American  Biography. 

1  This  is  probably  Captain  Samuel  Robinson  of  Hardwick, 
who  commanded  a  company  in  each  of  the  campaigns  of 
1755,  1758,  1759  and  was  also  in  the  service  in  some  capacity 
iu  1757. — See  Paige's  History  Hardwick. 

8  Col.  John  Bradstreet,  born  1711;  died  in  New  York  city, 
Sept.  25th,  1774.  Was  lieutenant  colonel  of  Maine  Regt ,  in 


76  PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL. 

by  our  Camp  to  carry  provisions  up  the  Mohawk 
River  to  the  German  Flats. 

(October)  24.  This  day  Col.  Preble,1  Col.  Nichols 
and  Col.  Wm.  Williams'  Regiments  marched  down  by 
our  Camp,  in  order  for  home. 

Do  26.   Col.  Partridge's  Regiment  marched  home. 

Do  27.  Our  detachment  marched  down  and  joined 
their  Regiment  at  the  Great  Fly.  Gen'l  Abercrombie 
went  down  to  Stillwater  this  night. 

Do  28.  Our  Regiment  marched  down  to  Albany 
where  we  arrived  the  29th  and  drawed  stores  for  our 
march  home  and  crossed  the  River  at  Green  Bush. 


the  expedition  against  Louisburg  in  1745;  lieut.  governor,  St. 
Johns,  Newfoundland,  1746  ;  cnpt.  in  60th  Regt.  British  army, 
March,  1749  ;  lieut.  colonel  and  deputy  quartermaster  general 
Dec.,  1757;  colonel  in  Feb.,  1762.  Commanded  expedition 
against  western  Indians  in  1764.  He  attained  marked  distinc 
tion  as  an  officer;  but  his  violent  temper  made  him  as  much 
feared  by  his  friends  as  hated  by  his  enemies. 

1  Jedediah  Preble,  born  Wells,  Maine,  1707,  died  Portland, 
Maine,  March  llth,  1784.  Early  in  life  was  a  sailor;  appointed 
captain  in  Waldo's  regiment,  1746  ;  lieutenant  colonel,  1755  ; 
Colonel,  March  13th,  1758  ;  brigadier  general,  March  12th, 
1759.  Was  12  years  member  of  the  legislature.  Massachu 
setts  commissioned  him  major  general  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
revolution;  but  he  declined  on  account  of  his  age.  Judge  of 
Common  Pleas  in  1778.  Member  state  senate  in  1780. 

The  journal  of  a  captain  in  Col.  Preble's  regiment  for  the 
campaign  of  1758  is  published  in  Daiason^  Historical  Maga 
zine,  Aug.,  1871. — See  Drake's  Dictionary  American  Bio 
graphy. 


PUTNAM'S  JO  UENAL.  J  J 

Do  30.  Marched  down  to  Kinder-hook. 

Do  31.  Marched  to  Lovejoy's,  about  20  miles. 

November  y€  1.  Marched  to  No  1-  18  miles. 

Do  2.  Marched  through  the  Green  Woods  to  Glass- 
cow  —  18  miles. 

Do  3.  From  Glasscow  to  Springfield  —  20  miles. 

Do  £tk.  Marched  to  Ware  River  to  Landlord  Scotts. 

Do  5.  Marched  about  8  miles ;  where  we  tarried 
all  day,  because  of  the  Rains. 

Do  6.  Marched  to  Brookfield.  Tarried  at  Brook- 
field  until  the  8th  then  marched  to  Sutton  to  Mr. 
Trasks. 

Do  $th.  Arrived  at  Brother  Amos  Putnam's. 

RUFUS  PUTNAM. 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL, 

1759. 


l&utnam's  ^Journal,   1759. 


FUS  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL  for  the  year  1759. 

April  2d.  Then  enlisted  I,  myself,  into  ye 
Provincial  Service  for  the  3d  Campaign  at  Sutton.1 

(April]  9.  Passed  Muster  at  Worcester,  I  was  put 
under  the  Command  of  Sam'l  Clark  Paine2  Capt.  and 
was  ordered  to  appear  at  Worcester  the  12th  Instant. 

Do  12.  Appeared  at  Worcester  and  was  ordered  to 
appear  there  the  13th. 

Do  13.  Appeared  at  Worcester  and  was  ordered  to 
appear  there  the  16th. 

Do  16.  Appeared  at  Worcester  and  received  orders 
that  we  should  all  be  billeted  out ;  but  obtained  the 
favor  to  return  home  and  stand  at  a  mits  Warning. 

Do  21.  Being  at  Worcester,  I  obtained  leave  to 
Billet  with  Capt.  Paige's  men  at  Brookfield. 


1  He  enlisted  as  a  subslitute  for  Moses  Leland,  who  had  been 
drafted.      For   this    enlistment    he  received  fourteen  pounds, 
thirteen    shillings,   Massachusetts    currency,    or   $45.50. — Hil- 
dret/i's  Lives  of  the  Pioneers. 

2  Samuel  Clark  Paine  of  Worcester,  died  in  December,  1759. 

11 


82  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

May  3.  Capt.  Paige1  marched  for  Springfield  and 
ordered  me  to  Hardwick  to  fetch  the  Brigd  Baggage 
to  Brookfield  and  to  wait  till  the  teams  came  up  from 
Worcester. 

Do  11.  Marched  to  Capt.  Days  in  Springfield  with 
the  Baggage  Cart. 

Do  12.  Marched  to  Capt.  White's  in  Springfield  and 
passed  muster  before  Capt.  Wheelock. 

Do  14.  Passed  muster  before  Lieut.  Small2  of  the 
Highland  Regiment,  also  the  11  Company  that 
marched  from  Worcester  came  to  town. 

Do  15.  Drawed  stores  for  eight  days,  and  marched 
to  Westfield. 

Do  16.   Marched  to  Glasscow. 

May  17.  Marched  into  the  Green  Woods,  with  our 
teams  and  baggage  and  arrived  within  about  4  miles 


1  Capt.  Paige  appointed  Putnam  orderly  sergeant,  he  was  in 
the  1st  battalion  of  Ruggles'  regiment,  commanded  by  Lieut. 
Col.  Ingersoll. 

2  Jno.  Small  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1726.    Died  at  Guernsey 
in  1796.      Served  in  America  during  the   French   and  Indian 
war,  as  lieutenant   in  42d  Highlanders.      Served  in  the  West 
Indies    in    1762.      June    14th,    1775,    appointed    major   of     a 
company    of   Highlanders    raised    in  Nova  Scotia  for  service 
in  the  English   army   during   the   American   revolution.      At 
Bunker  Hill  General  Israel  Putnam  saved  Maj.  Small's  life  by 
throwing  up  the  muskets  of  the  men  who  were  about  to  shoot 
him.      Maj.    Small   was  promoted  to  lieut.    colonel   in   1780, 
colonel  1790,  major  general  1794,  lieut.  governor  of    Guernsey 
in  1793. 


PUTNAM  '8  JO UBNAL.  §3 

and  I  of  Chaddock.  This  night  it  rained  exceeding 
hard  which  made  it  very  tedious  lodging. 

Do  18.  Marched  to  Sheffield  where  our  teams  were 
dismissed. 

Do  19.  We  had  a  recruit  of  other  teams, —  soon 
loaded  our  baggage  again,  and  we  marched  to  Love- 

joys- 
Do  20.  Marched  to  Kinderhook. 

Do  21.  Marched  to  Greenbush,  where  we  unloaded 
our  Carts,  and  put  our  Stores  into  Capt.  Dows'  Barn. 

May  22.  Crossed  the  River  and  Camped  on  Albany 
hill 

Do  23.  Drawed  our  Tents  and  pitched  them. 

Do  24,  A  weekly  return  made  of  the  men  on  this 
side  the  River  were  all  mustered  before  a  Major  of 
the  Regulars.  The  other  Companies  that  belonged 
to  each  Battalion,  under  the  command  of  Brigd  Genl. 
Ruggles,  came  over  the  River  and  encamped.  This 
night  at  Roll  Calling  we  had  the  Articles  of  War  read 
to  us. 

May  25.  The  other  Companies  that  came  in  be 
longing  to  Col.  Ruggles  were  mustered  and  the  Bat 
talions  were  properly  encamped.  Sergt.  Lackey  of 
Capt.  Baldwin's  Company,  was  taken  up  by  the 
Regulars  as  a  Deserter  from  their  Troops  at  Halifax. 

Do  29.  This  day  Saml.  Harris  of  the  Rhode  Island 
Regiment  was  shot  for  desertion.  David  Rogers,  of 
the  same  Regt.  condemned  to  be  shot,  for  the  same 


g4  PU1NAM  '8  JOURNAL. 

crime,  was  pardoned.  This  day  a  detachment  from 
all  the  Provincial  Troops  marched  up  the  Mohawk 
River  in  order  to  Battoe  up  that  River.  The  detach 
ment  consisted  of  Capts.  8  ;  Subs.  15  ;  Sergts.  21 ; 
Rank  &  file  554.  This  day  the  following  Detachment 
from  Connecticut,  Massachusetts,  New  Jersey  Troops 
for  to  carry  Battoes  to  Half-Moon  loaded  with  pro 
visions;  Capts.  2;  Subs.  10;  Sergt.  10;  Rank  &  file 
250. 

May  30.  The  following  Detachment  from  the  Mas 
sachusetts,  Connecticut,  N.  Jersey  Troops  for  Half 
Moon  tomorrow  morning  to  take  up  provision.  Oapt., 
2  ;  Subsr  8  ;  Sergt,  8  :  Rank  &  file,  200.  The  Rhode 
Island  Regiment  this  day  marched  for  Fort  Edward. 

June  ye  1.  Marched  this  day  from  Albany  in  order 
for  Fort  Edward,  or  rather  embarked  in  bateaux  and 
arrived  this  night  at  Half-Moon.  We  had  in  all  80 
bateaux  ;  20  barrels  in  each  bateaux. 

Do  2.  Set  up  the  River  as  far  as  the  Half  way 
house  where  we  encamped. 

Do  3.  We  set  our  boats  as  far  as  Capt.  Samsons 
where  we  unloaded  our  boats  and  took  our  boats  up 
the  falls  to  Stillwater,  where  we  loaded  our  bateaux 
again  and  lodged  about  half  a  mile  above  the  Fort. 

June  4.  Proceeded  with  our  boats  as  far  as  Saratoga 
falls  where  we  unloaded  our  boats  and  the  Provisions 
were  taken  up  in  waggons,  as  far  as  Lord  Howes  En 
campment,  about  3  miles. 


PUTNAM'S  JO URNAL.  §5 

Do  5.  Loaded  our  boats  again,  and  proceeded  up 
the  River  as  far  as  Fort  Miller,  where  we  unloaded 
our  provisions,  drew  our  boats  out  of  the  River,  loaded 
them  on  carriages,  carried  them  by  the  falls,  put  them 
in  the  water,  loaded  oui  provisions  again  and  pro 
ceeded  as  far  as  Fort  Edward  the  same  day,  where 
we  arrived  about  sun-down  with  the  boat  that  I  was 
in.  There  arrived  but  about  30  boats  this  night. 

Do  6.  Lay  at  Fort  Edward,  and  the  boats  that  were 
left  behind  came  up. 

Do  7.  The  ground  for  our  encampment  was  marked 
out;  but  it  was  exceeding  rainy,  for  which  reason  it 
could  not  be  cleared. 

June  8.  Our  people  were  all  set  to  work  to  clear 
the  ground  for  our  encampment,  and  we  moved  our 
tents  and  pitched  them. 

Do  10.  Although  the  encampment  was  cleared; 
yet  our  men  were  ^till  on  fatigue  ;  some  cutting  off 
stumps,  and  all  manner  of  duty  going  forward.  Can 
nons  bringing  out  of  the  Fort  and  mounting  on  Car 
riages. 

Do  13.  A  detachment  of  400  men  of  the  Provincials 
ordered  to  join  the  Royal  Highlanders  tomorrow 
morning,  and  march  with  them  under  the  Command 
of  Col.  Grant1  to  Half  way  Brook.  A  detachment  of 


1  Francis  Grant,  lieutenant  colonel  42d  Highlanders.  He 
served  in  America  from  1756  to  1762,  was  promoted  colonel, 
1762.  Major  general  in  1770.  Lieutenant  general  in  1777. 
Died  in  1782. 


gg  PUTNAM' 8  JOURNAL. 

200  of  our  Regiment  and  100  of  the  Jerseys,  were 
ordered  to  relieve  the  garrison  in  the  Forte.  This 
day  the  Rev.  Eli  Forbes1  came  up  as  Chaplain  to  our 
Regiment. 

June  15.  This  day  the  Bateaux  (with)  shot,  shells, 
wadding  and  such  kind  of  loading  was  sent  off  to  the 
Half  way  Brook  in  abundance. 

June  17.  Received  orders  to  strike  our  tents  at  two 
o'clock  this  afternoon  and  march  to  Half  way  Brook  ; 
but,  it  being  exceeding  rainy,  we  Rd  orders  to  the 
Contrary.  About  9  o'clock  this  morning  we  received 
orders  to  strike  our  tents  at  Reveille  Beating  in  the 
morning,  and  marched  to  Half  way  Brook. 


1  Eli  Forbes  was  born  in  West/borough,  Mass.,  Oct.,  1726. 
He  entered  Harvard  college  in  1744.  In  1745  he  served  as  a 
private  soldier  in  a  short  campaign  against  the  French  and 
Indians.  He  returned  to  his  studies  in  the  following  year  and 
graduated  in  1751.  He  was  ordained  minister  at  Brooktield  in 
1752.  In  1758  and  again  in  1759,  he  served  as  chaplain  in  the 
provincial  regiment  commanded  by  Col.  Timothy  Ruggles.  In 
1762  he  established  a  Christian  church  among  the  Oneida 
Indians.  In  March,  1776,  having  been  unjustly  accused  of 
toryism,  he  was  dismissed  from  the  church  at  Brookfield.  In 
June  of  the  same  year,  he  was  installed  pastor  of  the  church 
at  Gloucester  where  he  remained  until  his  death  in  1804.  Har 
vard  college  conferred  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity  upon 
him,  1804.  He  was  one  of  the  early  subscribers  to  the  Ohio 
company  but  relinquished  his  share. 


P UTNAM'S  JO URNAL.  87 

Do  18.  The  first  Battalion  of  Col.  Ruggles  marched 
to  Half  way  Brook  under  the  command  of  Col.  In- 
gersol. 

Do  19.  This  morning  every  man  in  Camp  was 
ordered  on  fatigue,  there  was  not  one  man  Excused. 

On  the  17th  there  was  a  flag  or  Truce  came  into 
Forte  Edward,  and  this  day  they  were  sent  back  again 
to  Ticonderoga. 

July  1st.  From  the  time  that  we  came  to  this  place 
till  now,  nothing  remarkable  ;  but  bateaux,  cannon 
and  all  kind  of  stores  carrying  up,  forces  marching 
daily  to  the  Lake  and  duty  exceeding  hard, 

July  2.  We  received  news  that  the  Indians  this 
day  killed  9  men  and  took  5  at  Lake  George. 

July  4;th.  The  Artillery  was  carried  from  Fort 
Edward  to  Lake  George  and  was  guarded  by  Col. 
Willard's  Regiment  of  the  Massachusetts.  There 
was  carried  up  1062  barrels  of  powder.  Col.  Mont 
gomery's  Regiment  marched  up  as  a  guard  for  the 
Artillery. 

Do  7.  We  had  the  news  that  Capt.  Jacobs1  was  cut 
off  by  the  Enemy. 

Do  12.  We  had  news  that  Major  Rogers  had  had 
an  engagement  with  the  Enemy,  but  the  circumstances 
of  it  we  have  not  yet  heard. 


1  Jacobs  was  a  captain  of  a  company  of  Indians  in  Rogers 
battalion.  He  was  a  Mohegan.  His  Indian  name  was  Naw- 
nawapateoonks. 


gg  P  UTNAM'S  JO  UENAL . 

Do  13.  We  hear  that  Major  Rogers  had  one  man 
killed  and  another  wounded  in  his  skirmish  but  what 
damage  he  has  done  to  the  Enemy  we  can  not  tell. 

Do  14.  We  marched  to  the  Lake  and  at  our  arrival 
we  found  all  the  preparations  possible  for  moving 
forward. 

Do  18.  All  that  marched  into  Camp  yesterday, 
were  ordered  out  and  fired  three  Rounds  by  platoons. 

Do  21.  This  morning  at  three  o'clock  we  struck 
our  tents  through  the  whole  army.  About  7  o'clock 
the  whole  army  embarked  and  sailed  for  Ticonderoga. 
This  night  we  arrived  within  about  4  miles  of  the 
Landing  place. 

July  22.  The  army  landed  this  morning  about  6 
o'clock.  The  Artillery  landed  about  10  O'clock  on 
the  same  wharf  that  the  French  Army  put  theirs  off 
Board  in  the  year  1757.  The  Reddow1  sailed  in  the 
front  of  the  column  which  accounted  22,  4  prds  &  6,  six 
prds  and  a  number  of  swivels.  We  landed  without  any 


1  Radeau;  a  raft  made  to  carry  artillery.  This  one  was 
probably  one  of  those  built  under  the  superintendence  of  the 
officer  of  Col.  Preble's  regiment,  whose  journal  has  been 
quoted  from  in  these  notes.  He  describes  them  Oct  20th, 
'58:  "This  day  we  launched  2  Raddows.  The  first  is  the 
following  dimensions: 

1st   (  50  feet  long  2  (  30    feet  long 

19     "    wide  4    7       "     wide 


"    deep  (    3J     "     deep." 


PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL  39 

molestation  from  the  Enemy.  We  never  so  much  as 
see  or  heard  one  of  them,  till  Major  Rogers  with  some 
Rangers  inarched  down  to  the  Mills,  where  he  found 
about  30  of  them  carelessly  a  picking  of  herbs  or  some 
such  thing.  He  fired  upon  them,  killed  one  and 
wounded  another,  which  he  took  (and)  took  another 
unhurt.  The  first  Column,  part  of  them  with  Col. 
Ruggles  (marched)  to  a  point  of  land  Sou- West  of 
the  Fort.  The  other  part,  viz  :  Major  Rogers'  Grena 
diers  and  Light  Infantry  marched  on  to  the  Hills 
between  the  Mills  and  the  Breast-work,  and  kept  a 
guard  advanced.  Ye  2nd  column  marched  and  lay  to 
cover  the  roads  from  the  Landing  to  the  Mills  in 
order  to  keep  the  communication  clear. 

Ye  3d  column;  part  marched  and  lay  on  the  Road  for 
the  same  purpose,  and  the  other  part  viz :  the  Jersey 
Regiment  and  Ruggles'  first  Battalion,  were  ordered  to 
clear  the  trees  that  the  French  had  fell  in  the  Road  to 
prevent  our  coming ;  and  also  to  repair  such  places  as 
wanted.  Ye  4th  Column  marched  down  to  the  Mills 
and  part  lay  there  and  part  joined  Major  Rogers. 
The  first  Battalion  of  Col.  Ruggles,  after  clearing  the 
Roads,  marched  back  to  the  Landing  &  from  thence, 
after  refreshing  themselves,  marched  down  to  the 
Mills  and  went  to  digging  the  Road  part  of  the  way 
from  the  Mill  to  the  Fort,  as  far  as  our  advance  guard 
lay ;  in  doing  of  which,  some  French  and  Indians 
came  down  within  about  50  rods,  and  fired  on  us,  but 
12 


90  PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

did  no  hurt.1  But  we  were  ordered  not  to  pay  them 
so  much  regard  as  to  fire  at  them,  except  they  came 
nearer.  Four  field  pieces  were  this  night  drawed  up 
as  far  as  our  advanced  posts.  The  first  Battalion  of 
Col.  Ruggles  this  night  marched  back  and  lay  on  the 
Road. 

July  23.  Our  people  took  possession  of  the  French 
Breast-works  and  went  to  intrenching.  The  first 
Battalion  of  Col.  Ruggles  this  day  marched  and  took 
possession  of  a  Hill,  Nor- West  of  the  Mills ;  and  had 
4  field  pieces  delivered  to  us,  and  soon  had  a  strong 
Breast-work  builded  for  our  defence  as  this  post  was 
very  much  exposed  provided  the  Enemy  had  any 
succor  come  to  them.  The  Enemy  this  day  kept  a 
continual  fire  of  cannon  and  mortars  at  our  people  in 
the  Trenches,  but  did  little  hurt.  This  night  there 
was  a  fire  on  some  of  the  Regular  Troops,  in  which 
there  was  an  officer  killed,  and  12  men  wounded. 

July  24.  This  day  Col.  Townshend2  was  killed  by  a 
cannon  ball.  The  French  continued  their  fire  on  our 
people  but  did  but  little  hurt. 


1  "  The  enemy  kept  out  a  scouting  party  with   a  body  of 
Canadians   and  Indians,  which  killed  several  of  our  men  and 
galled  us  prodigiously." — Rogers'  Journal,  p.  126. 

2  Col.  Roger  Townsend  was  Lord  Amherst's  adjutant  general. 
A  foot  note  to  page  128,  Rogers'  Journal,  says  :  "  The  brave 
and  worthy  Colonel  Townshend  was  killed  by  a  cannon  ball 
from  the  enemy,  whose  fall  was  much  lamented  by  the  general." 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL.  91 

Do  25.  The  Enemy's  fire  increased,  but  did  no  con 
siderable  damage  ;  neither  were  they  much  regarded 
by  our  people,  who  were  very  diligent  in  opening  the 
Trenches.  One  hundred  and  sixty  horses  arrived  this 
day,  by  which  means  the  Artillery  and  stores  were 
forwarded  with  great  dispatch. 

July  26.  This  day  Capt,  Willard  by  the  Genls. 
orders  went  to  building  a  Saw-Mill  in  the  same  place 
the  French  mill,  we  burnt  last  year,  stood ;  in  which 
service  I  was  employed  as  master.  The  Enemy's 
fire  this  day  was  vastly  heavy.  This  day  a  party  of 
Indians  came  to  our  post  and  killed  and  scalped  James 
Wallis  of  Capt.  Fletcher's  Company  in  the  first  Bat 
talion.  This  night  the  platforms  of  the  Batteries 
were  laid. 

July  27.  This  morning  about  one  o'clock,  or  before, 
the  Enemy  set  fire  to  their  magazine  of  powder  blew 
up  their  Fort  and  run  away  by  the  light  of  the  same. 
Also  19  Frenchmen  deserted  to  our  men.1 

July  28.  The  Indians  came  from  Crown  Point  and 
killed  an  Ensign  of  the  Rangers. 

Aug.  4.  The  Army  embarked  for  Crown  Point  and 
on  their  arrival  there  found  it  evacuated.  I,  being 


1  Rogers  says  under  date  July  26th:  "About  nine  o'clock 
(at  night)  when  I  had  got  about  half-way  from  the  place  where 
I  had  embarked,  the  enemy  who  had  undermined  their  fort, 
sprung  their  mine,  which  blew  up  with  a  loud  explosion;  the 
enemy  being  all  ready  to  embark  on  board  their  boats  and  make 
a  retreat." 


92  PUTNAM'S  JO UENAL. 

ordered  to  build  the  Mills  at  this  place,  and  tarrying 
on  that  business,  am  not  able  to  give  any  further 
account  of  the  Army.  During  my  stay  at  this  place, 
which  was  till  the  first  of  December,  I  was  very  hardly 
fatigued,  having  the  whole  care  of  the  work  upon  me. 
The  business  I  performed  faithfully  in  hopes  of  having 
a  handsome  reward ;  but  was  cheated  of  the  whole 
except  the  wages  of  common  men. 

December  \st.  Set  out  from  the  Saw  Mills  with  Col. 
Miller  and  Capt.  Foote  and  some  other  men  in  order 
for  Fort  George.  Col.  Miller  had  two  horses  and  a 
chair;  therefore  for  our  safer  passage,  we  took  Bateaux 
and  lashed  them  together.  We  had  a  small  matter 
of  provision  and  some  liquor,  the  weather  was  calm 
and  pleasant,  and  a  great  prospect  of  a  quick  passage. 
When  we  set  out  we  had  some  wind  ;  but  about  sun 
down,  we  came  within  about  a  mile  of  Sabbath-day 
Point  and  the  wind  failed  ;  wherefore  in  the  evening 
we  altered  our  opinion  of  passing  the  Lake  that  night, 
and  concluded  to  go  ashore,  make  a  fire,  and  there 
stay  till  morning  unless  the  wind  favored.  But  be 
fore  morning  we  found  to  our  sorrow,  that  the  wind 
was  changed  into  the  Nor- Westward,  that  we  could 
not  prosecute  our  design  without  endangering  our 
lives. 

December  2nd.  Wherefore  in  the  morning  we  hauled 
on  Shore  on  the  Point ;  (for  before  we  were  on  an 
Island)  builded  a  fire,  and  there  tarried  until  the  4th 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL.  93 

day ;  in  which  time  we  suffered  some  for  want  of 
victuals,  but  much  more  by  reason  of  the  Cold,  for  it 
ne\er  was  colder  in  my  remembrance.  We  found  on 
the  Point  a  piece  of  pork,  that  was  left  by  some  people 
as  they  passed  there  and  we  had  some  meal  or  flour 
which  we  made  dumplings  of  and  boiled  them  with 
the  pork,  on  which  Col.  Miller,  with  the  rest  of  us, 
fed  very  heartily. 

Dec.  4:th.  The  wind  had  been  so  high  ever  since  we 
came  on  shore,  that  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  pass 
forward ;  but  this  day  was  a  fine  calm ;  therefore  we 
pushed  forward  very  early  and  arrived  at  Fort  George 
about  sun  down  ;  having  suffered  very  much  by  reason 
of  the  cold  and  for  want  of  provisions.  We  pushed 
forward  this  night  at  far  as  Port  Edward. 

Dec.  bth.  Travelled  to  the  Ply  to  Landlord  Brown's. 

Do  6th.  Came  down  to  Half  Moon. 

Do  7th.  Came  down  as  far  as  Green  Bush  to  the 
widow  Lumeses. 

Do  8.  Travelled  as  far  as  the  Mills. 

Do  9.  By  reason  of  the  Rain,  I  travelled  no  farther 
than  Jordenears  (Gardiniers  ?) 

Do  10.  Travelled  as  far  as  Sheffield. 

Do  11,  Tarried  at  Sheffield  with  Capt.  Doolittle. 

Do  12.  Took  charge  of  a  horse  and  pack  of  deer 
skins  and  beaver,  for  Capt.  Doolittle  and  marched  to 
No.  1. 


94  PUTNAM'S  JO URNAL. 

Do  13.  Marched  through  the  Green  Woods  and 
arrived  at  Blanford. 

Do  14.  Travelled  to  Springfield,  leaving  part  of  my 
pack  of  leather  at  Westfield. 

Do  15.  Rode  to  Brimfield  to  Sam1  Shaws. 

Do  16.  Arrived  home  to  Brother  Daniel  Mathew's 
at  Brookfield. 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL, 

1760. 


1760. 


?ER  my  arrival  home  I  removed  my  Quarters 
to  Dea.  Wm  Witts'  at  New  Brantree,  and 
there  tarried  till  some  time  in  March, 
when  unexpected  to  me,  T  received  Beat 
ing  orders  from  the  Governor ;  in  order  to  recruit  for 
his  Majesty's  Service ;  and  according  to  the  method 
practiced  that  year,  received  a  Commission1  bearing 
date  ye  11  of  March  1760  ;  under  Col.  Abijah  Willard2 


1  This  commission  is  among  the  Putnam  manuscripts  in  the 
library  of  Marietta  College. 

1  Abijah  Willard  was  the  son  of  Colonel  Samuel  Willard  of 
Lancaster,  Worcester  county,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  born 
in  the  year  1722.  He  served  in  the  army  at  the  taking  of  Cape 
Breton,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  captain  in  the  above  campaign. 
Having  recovered  from  his  wound  he  commanded  one  of  the 
Massachusetts  regiments  in  the  campaign  of  1759,  under  Am- 
herst,  and  in  1760  entered  Montreal,  by  way  of  the  lakes,  with 
the  army  under  the  command  of  Brigadier  General  Haviland. 
In  1774,  he  was  appointed  a  mandamus  counsellor,  in  conse 
quence  of  which  he  became  very  unpopular.  While  at  Union, 
13 


98  PUTNAM' 8  JOURNAL. 

in  Capt.  Thos.  Beamans1  Company.  And  being  de 
tained  to  recruit  longer  than  I  expected,  I  did  not 
march  with  my  Company. 

June  2d  1760.  Began  my  march  for  the  Fourth 
Campaign,  and  marched  to  Springfield,  which  was 
about  30  miles. 


Connecticut,  he  was  seized  and  held  through  the  night  in  con 
finement,  and  next  day  found  himself  obliged  to  sign  a  declara 
tion  that  he  would  not  act,  asking,  at  the  same  time  forgiveness 
for  having  taken  the  oath  of  office  On  the  morning  of  the 
19th  of  April,  1775,  he  mounted  his  horse  and  was  proceeding 
to  Beverly,  where  he  had  a  farm,  to  superintend  the  spring  work. 
While  on  his  way  the  uprising  of  the  country  led  him  to  fear 
for  his  personal  safety,  and  he  turned  his  horse's  head  towards 
Boston,  where  he  proposed  to  remain  only  a  few  days.  He 
was  caught  by  Gage's  proclamation  in  a  trap,  and  was  too  far 
compromised  to  return  amongst  his  old  neighbors.  He  sub 
sequently  accompanied  the  royal  army  to  Halifax.  Though 
offered  a  commission  by  General  Howe,  he  refused,  saying  "he 
should  never  fight  against  his  country."  He  was  afterwards 
commissary  to  the  British  troops  at  New  York,  and  in  1778 
was  proscribed,  and  his  property  confiscated.  In  July,  1783, 
he  was  one  of  the  55  petitioners,  in  the  city  of  .New  York,  to 
General  Carleton  for  lands  in  Nova  Scotia  He  settled  in  New 
Brunswick  and  called  the  town  Lancaster,  after  his  native 
place  in  Massachusetts.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Provincial 
Council  and  died  at  Lancaster,  N.  B.,  in  May,  1789,  aged  67 
years.  His  estate  in  Massachusetts  was  redeemed  by  his  family. 

1  Capt.  Thomas  Beaman  adhered  to  the  royal  cause  during 
the  revolution. 


PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL.  99 

June  3.  Tarried  in  Springfield  because  the  Muster 
Master  was  not  in  town. 

Do  4.  Rode  from  Springfield  to  Blanford,  and  fall 
ing  in  Company  with  Capt.  Howe,  we  agreed  to  travel 
together,  till  we  joined  our  Companies.  He  having  a 
horse,  I  purchased  part  of  him,  put  my  pack  on  with 
his  and  our  servants,  and  we  travelled  through  the 
Green  Woods,  to  Landlord  Chadock's. 

Do  6.  It  rained  very  hard  this  day,  so  that  we 
tarried  there  all  day. 

Do  7.  Travelled  to  Garret  Burgins  at  Sheffield. 

Do  8.  Sunday — Travelled  from  Sheffield  to  Kinder- 
hook  to  Mr.  Van  Buren's. 

Do  9.  Travelled  to  Fitches,  an  English  Tavern 
between  Kinderhook  and  Green  Bush. 

Do  10.  Travelled  to  Albany  and  lodged  at  Mr. 
Williams'. 

Do  11.  Travelled  to  Md.  Schuyler's  at  the  Flats. 

Do  12.  Travelled  to  Still  water. 

Do  13.  Travelled  to  Fort  Miller,  to  Major  Hawk's 
Camp,  where  I  lodged. 

June  14.  Tarried  with  Major  Hawks,  and  Capt. 
Howe  went  forward. 

Do  15.  Sunday. — Set  out  the  morning  and  travelled 
to  Fort  George,  where  Capt.  Howe  found  his  Company 
and  I  lodged  with  him  this  night. 

Do  16.  Intended  to  cross  the  Lake  with  Capt.  Jack 
son.  Lighting  of  some  of  Capt.  Beamans  Company, 


100  PUTNAM'S  JO URNAL. 

that  were,  come  over  for  stores,  and  were  to  return 
this  day — tarried  for  them  ;  and  about  three  oclock 
set  out  in  a  bateau  and  arrived  at  Long  Island  about 
7  miles  down  the  Lake. 

Do  17.  Arrived  at  the  Saw  Mills  near  Ticonderoga. 

Do  18.  Arrived  at  Ticonderoga  and  joined  Capt. 
Thos.  Beaman's  Company,  which  was  stationed  for 
the  present,  at  Ticonderoga,  under  the  Command  of 
Col.  Miller.  This  detachment  consisted  of  four  Com 
panies. 

June  20.  Went  on  fatigue  this  day ;  also  received 
news  that  the  French  had  sent  in  about  150  of  our 
English  Prisoners,  who  were  received  by  Major  Rogers 
at  his  Post  near  Nut  Island  and  the  French  sent  back. 

Do  22.  Removed  our  Camp  to  the  Landing  place 
and  Col.  Miller  to  the  Saw  Mills,  leaving  two  Com 
panies  at  Ticonderoga.  We  were  here  employed  in 
all  kinds  of  duty,  which  was  very  fatiguing. 

June  27.  At  night  when  sleeping  I  dreamed  that  I 
was  at  a  wedding  in  Brookfield ;  but  whose  it  was  I 
could  not  tell,  and  when  that  was  over,  I  was  about 
to  be  married  myself ;  but  when  I  was  dressed,  I  was 
one  half  in  women's  clothes,  at  which  I  was  very 
much  troubled.  I  also  about  this  time  dreamed  that 
I  was  at  Esqr.  Ayres'  House  in  Brookfield,  and  that 
there  was  a  cup  of  drink  given  me  and  that  there  was 
no  person  in  the  room  but  his  daughter  Betsey,  to 
whom  I  drank.  But  she  immediately  passed  out  of 


PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL.  1Q1 

the  room,  looking  with  a  strange  countenance,  and  I 
was  left  alone,  very  much  damped  in  my  spirits,  to 
think  that  she,  with  whom  I  had  been  so  well  ac 
quainted,  and  from  whom  I  had  never  had  the  frown, 
should  not  take  the  cup  and  drink  with  me.1 

August  10.  From  the  27th  of  June  to  this  nothing 
material,  but  everything  carrying  on  the  Campaign. 
And  this  day  the  Army  embarked,  and  sailed  toward 
Saint  Johns. 

Do  16.  Col.  Haverland2  landed  with  the  army  of 
Regulars  and  Provincials  under  his  command  at  Isle 
Deaux. 

Do  28.  The  Enemy  evacuated  Isle  Deaux. 

Sept.  8th.  Montreal  Capitulated  to  Genl.  Amherst. 

Do  17.  The  Provincials  that  went  down  under  the 
command  of  Col.  Haverland  returned  to  Crown  Point. 

Oct.  14.  Genl.  Amherst  arrived  at  Crown  Point. 

Do  28.  He  passed  our  Post. 

Nov.  10.  I  went  to  Crown  Point. 

Do  23.  Returned  to  the  Landing. 

Do  18.  Received  orders  to  march  to  No  4. 


1  Rufus  Putnam  married  Elizabeth  (Betsey)  Ayres  at  Brook- 
field,  Mass.,  April,  1761.     She  died  within  the  year. 

2  William  Huviland,  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  27th  or  Innis- 
killen  regiment.      He  served  with  distinction  in  the  campaign 
in  America  from   1757  to  1762,  commanded  a  brigade  in  the 
siege  of  Savannah  in  August,  1762;  was  made  colonel  in  1767, 
lieutenant  general  in  1772,  general  in  1783  and  died  in  1788. 


102  PUTNAM'S  JO  URNAL. 

Do  19.  Marched  to  Ticonderoga  where  we  were 
detained  on  account  of  not  having  our  bread  baked. 

November  20.  Having  crossed  the  Lake  by  cutting 
the  ice  away  ;  about  half  after  11  o'clock  we  began 
our  march  for  No.  4  and  come  to  camp  about  sun 
down,  having  marched  about  10  miles. 

Do  21.  Marched  as  soon  as  light  in  the  morning, 
but  being  very  much  hindered  by  the  sick  men  the 
Rhode  Islands'  left  behind,  we  marched  but  about 
12  miles  and  then  camped. 

Do  22.  Having  marched  about  two  miles  this  morn 
ing,  we  found  a  man  of  Capt.  Herrick's  Company, 
dead,  that  had  been  left  by  Capt.  Howe  as  they  told 
us  ;  and  found  by  Capt.  Paige.  He  left  two  men  to 
take  care  of  him,  and  they  leaving  him,  he  was  left 
alone  ;  and  being  in  a  fit,  he  fell  into  the  fire  and 
burnt  himself  so  that  his  ribs  lay  bare  ;  then  haviner 
suffered  much  by  reason  of  the  cold  for  some  days  till 
Col.  Thomas  came  along,  who  left  two  of  Capt. 
Herrick's  Company  to  take  care  of  him  ;  and  he  had 
not  been  dead  8  minutes  when  we  came  up.  From 
thence  we  marched  about  12  miles  and  Lodged. 

November  23,  1760.  Marched  about  two  miles  and 
breakfasted.  About  ten  o'clock  we  crossed  Otter 
Creek,  and  from  there  we  marched  about  8  miles  and 
camped. 

Do  24.  Marched  by  a  little  after  day-break,  and 
about  10  o'clock  breakfasted.  Yesterday  afternoon 


PUTNAM'S  JOURNAL. 

we  sent  forward  a  man  sick  with  the  small-pox. 
Marched  this  night  within  about  20  miles  of  No.  4, 
where  was  an  old  encampment,  and  there  lodged. 

Do  25.   Marched  to  No.  4. 

Do  26.  Marched  to  Westmoreland. 

Do  27.  To  Keene. 

Do  28.  To  Winchester. 

Do  29.  To  Landlord  Paige's  at  Petersham. 

Do  30.  To  Solomon  Matthews'  at  the  south  part  of 
Petersham. 

December  1st.  Arrived  home  at  Daniel  Matthews  at 
New  Braintree. 

And  now,  soon  after  my  return  home,  I  concluded 
not  to  go  into  the  service  any  more,  not  from  any 
dislike  to  the  service  of  my  King  and  Country, 
or  any  misfortunes  in  the  service,  for,  through  the 
goodness  of  Divine  Providence,  I  was  always  pros 
pered  in  some  measure,  and  had  my  health  entirely 
the  whole  4  years  that  I  have  been  out.  And, 
although  I  underwent  many  hardships  and  difficul 
ties  ;  yet,  by  the  good  hand  of  my  God  upon  me,  I 
was  enabled  to  bear  up  under  them  all. 

(Remainder  of  the  page  torn  off  in  the  original 
journal.) 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX. 


BOSTON  list  of  Feb.,  1810. 
RUFUS  PUTNAM,  ESQ. 

Dear  Sir :  I  expect  this  letter  will  be  handed  to  you  by  Mr. 
Oliver  Putnam,  a  very  respectable  merchant  of  this  Town,  and 
whom  I  would  recommend  to  your  notice  and  particular  atten 
tion.  Any  civilities  shewn  him  will  be  thankfully  acknowl 
edged  by  me.  Mr.  Putnam,  having  mentioned  to  me,  a  few 
days  since  that  he  proposed  setting  out  in  a  day  or  two  on  a 
visit  to  your  part  of  the  Country,  I  mentioned  to  him  my  ac 
quaintance  with  you,  and  that  I  wished  to  write  you  by  him. 
For  I  presumed  it  would  not  be  unpleasant  to  you  to  hear  from 
an  old  friend,  who  had  been  your  messmate  during  the  cam 
paign  of  1757,  and  who  had  waded  through  the  deep  snow  on 
the  banks  of  the  Hoosick  river,  and  over  the  lofty  mountains 
of  that  name,  in  the  cold  month  of  February,  1758,  and  reduced 
to  the  sad  necessity  of  eating  dog.  Friendships  formed  on 
such  trying  occasions  are  not  easily  obliterated,  and,  I  assure 
you  that  I  still  feel  a  lively  friendship  for  you,  and  have  often 
thought  of  writing  you  ;  but,  no  direct  opportunity  offering, 
have  hitherto  neglected  it.  You  are  the  only  one  of  my  old 
comrades  that  I  know  of  who  is  living.  There  may  be  others 
yet  alive  but  I  do  not  know  where  they  dwell.  I  observed 


APPENDIX. 


last  summer  in  the  newspapers,  the  insertion  of  the  death  of 
Samuel  Wiswal.  I  expect  you  remember  his  leaving  us  at 
Fort  Edward,  soon  after  the  taking  of  Fort  Win.  Henry. 

I  noticed  in  the  public  prints,  a  few  years  since,  that  T. 
Jefferson  had  honored  you,  by  removing  you  from  an  office 
bestowed  upon  you  by  the  great  and  virtuous  Washington,  the 
real  Father  of  his  Country.  Your  removal  from  office  is  full 
evidence  of  your  adherence  to  the  principles  of  the  good  old 
Washington  school,  of  which  I  avow  myself  to  be  a  true 
disciple  ;  and  the  numerous  removals  of  honest,  capable  men 
from  office,  and,  in  many  instances,  the  vacancies  so  made  by 
T.  Jefferson  filled  again  by  him  with  d  -  d  rascals,  has  ex 
cited  my  warmest  indignation. 

I  consider  that  heaven,  in  its  wrath,  for  the  sins  of  our 
nation,  permitted  him  to  preside  over  our  nation  I  did  hope 
that  his  successor  was  fully  convinced  of  the  mad,  weak  and 
foolish  measures  of  his  immediate  predecessor,  and  that  he 
would  administer  the  Government  with  impartiality  ;  but  I 
find  myself  disappointed,  and  that  we  are  still  to  bear  French 
insults  and  that  Great  Britain  is  to  bo  treated  with  every 
possible  insult,  to  provoke  her  to  commence  hostilities  against 
us,  and  we  thus  compelled  to  go  to  war  with  her,  and  to  form 
an  alliance  with  the  Tyrant  and  Scourge  of  Europe,  which  I 
pray  heaven  to  avert. 

You  will  see  that  this  letter  is  dated  at  Boston.  I  came  here 
about  a  month  since,  on  a  visit  to  my  son  and  daughter,  who 
live  here  ;  they  being  all  the  children  I  have.  My  daughter  is 
married  and  her  husband  and  my  son  are  doing  business 
together  as  Merchls  under  the  firm  of  Richards  &  Jones.  My 
wife  is  still  living,  but  has  not  -enjoyed  very  good  health  for 
some  years  past,  I  have  generally,  enjoyed  very  good  health, 
but  now  feel  the  infirmities  of  old  age.  I  entered  my  72d*  year 


APPENDIX.  109 

the  8th  instant.  I  believe  your  age  is  not  much  different  from 
mine.  I  came  on  from  Machias  to  -Boston  by  land,  and  expect 
to  return  again  the  same  way,  the  fore  part  of  next  month.  If 
you  have  any  Federal  Newspapers  edited  with  you,  the  spirited 
resolutions  passed  by  our  legislature  in  their  present  session, 
will  undoubtedly  be  published  in  them  &  you  will  read 
them  with  much  satisfaction  ;  they  manifest  the  true  spirit  of 
'75.  If  you  find  it  convenient  to  write  to  me.  I  assure  you 
that  it  will  be  very  acceptable  to 

Your  old  friend  and  Humble  Servant, 

STEPHEN  JONES. 


INDEX 


INDEX, 


Abercrombie,  Gen.,  62 

Adams,  John,  16 

Albany,  N.  Y.,  26,  27,  28,  50, 

83 

Ames,  Fisher,  19 
Andover,  Mass.,  73 
Arbuthnot,  Capt.,  24 
Ayres,  Eliz.,  10,  100,  101 
Bailey,  Capt.,  24,  27 
Baldwin,  Capt.,  83 
Ball,  Capt.,  24 

Beaman,  Thomas,  98,  99,  100 
Belpre,  Ohio,  17 
Billerica,  Mass.,  72 
Billings,  Capt.,  74 
Bradstreet,  Col.,  65,  66,  75. 
Brewer,  David,  11 
Brookfield,  9,  10,  23,  25,  58,  61 
Brown,  Lieut.,  50,  70 
Burgess,  Garret,  99 
Burgoyne,  12 
Burk,  John,  24,  27,  35 
Cain,  Capt.,  50 
Call,  James,  66 
Carver,  Jon.,  24,  35,  60 
Chadock,  M.,  99 
Chevers,  Capt.,  24 
Clark,  Geo.  R.,  13 
Cleveland,  Rev.  Mr.,  73 
Cobb,  Lemuel,  57 
Colings,  Lieut.,  36,  37 
Coone,  Lieut.,  73 
Cox,  Eben,  74 
Crawford  or  Crofford,  40 
Crofford,  Mr.,  40 


Curtis,  Lieut.,  72 

Cutler,  Manassah,  14,  15 

Dakin,  Samuel,  72 

Danvers,  9 

Davis,  Capt,  24,  27 

Davis,  Ensign,  73 

Day,  Capt.,  82 

Deerfield,  Mass.,  58 

Dexter,  Ichabod,  57 

Dexter,  Samuel,  57 

Donaldson,  Col.,  64 

Doolittle,  Capt.,  93 

Dormit,  Capt.,  37,  39 

Dotey,  Col.,  67 

Dovv,  Capt.,  83 

Dunbar,  Col.,  31 

Dunbarton,  N.  EL,  46 

Enos,  Roger,  10,  29 

Esopus,  N.  Y.,  50 

Eyre,  William,  64 

Fitch,  Mr.,  99 

Fletcher,  Major,  30,  31 

Florida,  10,  11 

Foote,  Capt.,  92 

Forbes,  Eli,  86 

Fort  Edward,    28,  32,    37,   40, 

48,  63,  75,  84 
Fort  Lyman,  N.  Y.,  34 
Fort  Miller,  63,  85 
Fort  William  Henry,  40,  41 
Framingham,  Mass.*.  62 
Frye,  Col.,  28  - 
Frye,  Joseph,  23 
Fuller,  Jon.,  9 
Glasgow,  Mass.,  26,  82 


114 


IXDEX. 


Godfrey,  Lieut.,  72 

Grant,  Francis,  85 

Greenbush,  N  Y ,  27,  62,  83 

Greenwich,  Mass.,  58 

Groton,  Mass.,  72 

Hadley,  Mass.,  58 

Haines  Bluff,  11 

Half  Moon,  N,  Y.,  49,  50,  63, 

75,  84 

Hardwick,  Mass,  25,  57,  61 
Harris,  Samuel,  83 
Hartwell,  Capt.  A.,  24,  35 
Haviland,  Win.,  101 
Hawk,  Major,  99 
Herrick,  Capt.,  102 
Hoosack,  52 
Howe,  Lord,  64,  66,  68 
Hunt,  Major,  64 
Indecut,  24,  27 
Ingersol,  Capt.,  24,  27,  31 
Jackson,  Capt.,  99 
Jefferson,  Thomas,  13,  18 
Johns,  Capt.,  72 
Johnson,  Lieut.,  40 
Johnson,  Sir  Win.,  69 
Jones,  Stephen,  109 
Kane  or  Cain,  Capt.,  50 
Kinderhook,  N.  Y.,  26,  83 
Kingston,  Mass.,  25 
Knowles,  Sir  Chas.,  26 
Lackey,  Sergt.,  83 
Lake  George,  75 
Lawrence,  Capt.,  72 
Learned,  Eben,   9,   23,  24,   27, 

28,  37,  45,  50 
Leland,  Moses,  81 
Lincoln,  Gen.,  16 
Loudon,  Lord,  49 
Lovejoy,  26,  77 
Lyman,  Phineas,  10,  33,  sketch 

of,  34,  69 

Lyman,  Thaddeus,  10,  11,  29 
Manton,  Ensign,  45 
Marietta,  Ohio,  15,  17,  18 


Matthews,  Daniel,  9,  94 

Matthews,  Solomon,  105 

McCurdy,  Lieut.,  47 

Meginess,  Capt.,  35 

Miller,  Col.,  92,  93,  100 

Mississippi,  1 1 

Moneypenny,  Alex.,  64 

Monroe,  Col.,  31 

Montgomery,  Col.,  87 

Moore,  Lieut.,  2(5 

Nelson,  Capt ,  24,  37,  50 

New  Braintree,  Mass.,  10,  25 

Nichols,  Col,  76 

Nixon,  Capt.  John,  62 

Northampton,  61 

Ord,  Thomas,  65 

Ottaway,  Col.,  48 

Paige,  Capt.,  81 

Paine,  Sara'l  C.,  81 

Pantoosuck,  61,  62 

Parsons,  S.  H.,  14 

.Partridge,  Col.,  76 

Petersham,  43 

Pickering,  Timothy,  12 

Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  14 

Pool,  Lieut.,  63 

Preble,  Col.,  73,  76 

Putnam,  Amos,  77 

Putnam,  Israel,  10,  29 

Putnam,  Oliver,  107 

Putnam,  Rufus,  enlisted,  9, 
married,  10,  surveyor,  10, 
visits  Florida,  10,  colonel, 

11,  Burgoyiie's    campaign, 

12,  with     Ohio    company, 
14,  conducted  emigrants  to 
Muskingum,    15,   appointed 
judge,  16,  removed  to  Mari 
etta,    16,   chosen   trustee  of 
Ohio  University,  18,  died,  18 

Ranelow,  Col.,  27 
Read,  Capt,  74 
Rice,  Persis,  10 
Robins,  George,  43 


INDEX. 


115 


Robinson,  Samuel,  75 

Rogers,  David,  83 

Rogers,  Major  Robt.,  46 

Roxbury,  11 

Ruggles,  Timothy,  25,  61,  69, 

70,  83 

Rutland,  Mass.,  10,  15 
Sadler,  Capt..,  9 
Safford,  Capt.,  35 
Saltonstall,  Richard,  24,  31 
Samson,  Capt.,  74,  84 
Saratoga,  28,   30,    31,   48,   49, 

63,  75,  81 
Schenectndy,  50 
Scioto  Company,  16 
Scocook,  26,  27,  28 
Scott,  Mr.,  77 
Severance,  Martin,  47 
Shaw,  Samuel,  94 
Sheffield,  Mass.,  26,  83 
Shepard,  Capt.,  66 
Shirley,  Gen.,  31 
Skene,  Capt.,  51 
Small,  Jno.,  82 
Springfield,  Mass.,  25 
St.  Clair,   16 
Stillwater,  N.  Y.,   27,   28,   49, 

50,  52,  63,  75,  84 
Sudbury,  Mass.,  72 
Suffield,  Mass.,  34 
Sutton,  Mass.,  9,  25,  61 
Taplin,  Capt.,  24,  35,  37 
Thare,  Peter,  44 
Thaxter,  Capt.,  24,  27,  41 
Thomas,  Col,  102 
Ticonderoga,  31,  44,  66,  72 


Townsend,  Roger,  90 

Trask,  Mr.,  77 

Trurnbull,  19 

Tupper,  Benj.,  14 

Van  Buren,  M.,  99 

Vincennes,  Ohio,  17 

Waldo,  Capt.,  24 

Walker,  Lieut.,  28,  42,  44,  45 

Wall,  Capt.,  35 

Wallace,  James,  91 

Washington,  Gen.,  11,  12,  16, 

17 

Waterford,  Ohio,  17 
Wayne,  Anthony,  16 
Webb,  Daniel,  31,  32,  38 
Weeks,  John,  45 
West,  Capt.,  24,  35,  45 
West  Salem,  Mass ,  29 
Westborough,  10 
Wheelock,  Capt.,  82 
Whitcomb,  Joseph,  61,  74 
White,  Capt.,  82 
Willard,  Abijah,  97 
Wiltard,  Col,  87,  91 
Willard,  Samuel,  97 
Williams,  Thomas,  47 
Williams,  Wm ,  70,  76 
Wilmington,  72 
Winslow,  Jedediah,  27,  28 
Wiswal,  Samuel,  108 
Witts,  Wm.,  97 
Wolcott,  Nathaniel,  19,  23 
Woods,  James,  25 
Worcester,  Mass.,  25,  82 
Yazoo,  11 


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